Unlikely
by Caroline98
Summary: An unlikely event. An unlikely world. An unlikely power. And an unlikely encounter. Those were the things that led two people to meet and changed the fate of not only Vale, but of the entire world of Remnant. COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1: Death

**Chapter 1 — Death**

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"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."

 **― J.K. Rowling,**

 ** _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_**

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The snow was falling heavily and the runways were still not free. Planes queued and waited for their turn to start, pilots drinking coffee and passengers growing more cross by the second. Flight 9517 to Florida was currently being de-iced by the airport personnel, the chemicals erasing any speck of ice that had accumulated on the plane for the past hour. The pilots made the last few checks when they finally received the sign to move forward onto the runway by the Tower.

Amidst all the passengers sat a black-haired 19-years-old girl. She had been attending a boarding school in Washington D.C. for the past few months and had finally concluded her last year of high school, ready to attend Yale in the coming Fall. In that time, she had decided to visit her family who lived in Phoenix, Arizona. She hadn't seen them since last year December when she had visited to celebrate Christmas with them. Else, they had only exchanged letters, her telling them what it was like in the capital and them telling her what happened at home.

She was looking forward to seeing them again. She had missed her little sister the most. Jasmine was three years younger than her, a beautiful 16-years-old teen who was just as intelligent as her sister and attended a private high school not far from home. She had the same black hair as her sister, although her eyes were a deep brown while Serena's were more like deep turquoise that would appear brighter or darker depending on the light.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please: We are now ready to take off for Tallahassee, Florida. Please fasten your seat-belts and put away anything that could fall off during takeoff. We apologize for the long wait and thank you for flying with us," rang the pilot's voice through the speaker that hung above the cockpit's door.

The flight would take five hours (though who really knew with this kind of weather?), and after that, Serena would have to switch onto another one to get to Phoenix. It was a holiday and most flights that went directly from Washington to Arizona had been booked out, so she'd had to book this one and another. It cost more, of course, the prices for a normal seat being already high, but her family had sent her some money, so she had managed to afford it.

Fastening her seat-belt and putting on her earphones, she put her iPhone on play and leaned back in her seat, waiting for the plane to take off. It began to pick up on speed and soon they were racing over the runway, the scenery outside passing by them in a blur, the slowly falling snow looking more like a blizzard now. When they had reached the needed speed, she could feel the plane lift off the ground, shaking all the while.

Not having flown much, she didn't think that the shaking was unusual until she noticed a passenger, an elderly man with glasses who sat in the row beside her, looking back and forth with a worried look. The woman who sat beside him asked what was wrong and he said that something was not right, though he didn't know what. Noticing this, Serena stopped her music and took off her earphones, stowing her phone in her blue jeans pocket, only now hearing that the shaking of the dishes that were stocked in the back of the plane had yet to subsided. Even she knew that, after some time, the shaking would stop and the flight would be a smooth one.

The man suddenly bent forward, placing his arms against the seat in front of him, pressing his head against them. The woman beside him did the same after he told her so and Serena's anxiety started to grow. She had never really liked flying –– the idea of being cramped in a room, tens of thousands of feet above solid ground where she couldn't do anything if something went wrong terrified her. As a kid, she'd always liked to watch documentaries about everything, but mostly about planes and plane crashes. It had always morbidly fascinated her how planes were built to be impenetrable and were the safest mode of transportation in the world, yet they were still so fragile and vulnerable. The images of burning plane wrecks floated through her mind and she began to panic.

Mimicking the man –– for she saw that he had experience in flying and knew what would most likely happen –– she also pressed her forearms against the seat in front of her, burying her head in them as if to escape her possible fate. Several other passengers were doing the same and the shaking intensified even more. Soon, many more people started to panic, some screaming or crying and in the midst of all the noise and shaking Serena could faintly hear the heart-wrenching cry of a baby.

Then the plane suddenly lurched forward.  
The fuselage hit something full force and the plane dipped even more towards the ground, more people screaming, Serena being one of them. She had started to sweat at the beginning and could now feel it running down her forehead and back, sending shivers through her entire body. Then the plane's nose hit something and she could hear it crashing through something else. The aircraft broke in the middle and she suddenly realized that water started to flow in.

 _The Potomac!_ she thought in horror, realization dawning on her.

They must have plummeted into the river.

Attempting to unbuckle her seat-belt, she tried to move only to feel terrible pain rake her entire body. Looking down, her eyes widened upon the sight of blood pooling out of her stomach and into the ice cold water. It was then that she realized the large gash across her abdomen, partially across her left breast. A metal piece from a seat must have come loose and struck her during the crash, tearing the flesh wide open. She spotted another sharp piece of metal sticking out of her right side, but decided to leave it there. Trying to ignore the throe, she started to scramble for the exit that was now the rift where the plane had broken in two.

She saw that the man beside her and the woman were doing just the same, although she could see that the man's legs were either broken, or at least his ankles must have been by the way he was crawling and trying to somehow get out of this watery grave. Looking around, she noticed that most of the other passengers were either unconscious or already dead from the force of the impact, their forms hanging limply in their seats.

It was eerily silent.

The water was reaching just underneath her chin and Serena knew that she had to get out now or she would be unable to; the plane would either drag her down or she would be shocked even more by the chilling temperatures of the rising water. Taking in one last big gulp of oxygen, she ducked her head and began kicking her legs, trying to find the exit in the darkness of the river. It was frozen over and therefor the sun could not get through, basking the water in an almost pitch black color. Only at the top could she see a faint light, so she decided that that must be the hole through which the plane had crashed and began swimming for it.

But the bitterly cold temperatures quickly took their toll and she could feel her lungs piercing from the lack of oxygen. Her vision was starting to close in from the sides and she could barely see the light now. Kicking her legs a few more times, she tried her best to reach the surface until she finally couldn't take it anymore. Gasping, she felt the water entering her lungs, the pain being the worst she had ever experienced. She flailed her arms a few times before realizing that there was nothing left that she could do.

 _So this is how I'm going to die? Freezing and drowning to death, body never to be found? I always thought that I would die old and grumpy with my kids at my side, going to a peaceful sleep. Guess that's not the case._

She could feel tears starting to leave her eyes, closing them to try and fall unconscious, not wanting to experience the entirety of her death. She had never imagined or thought about what it would be like to drown, but she didn't want to know it now either. So she took one last look at the surface, seeing the bright light approaching her. Thinking it must be the light that would lead her to the afterlife like in the movies, she smiled to herself and closed her eyes again.

 _I'm sorry guys, but I'll be going first… I'll wait for you on the other side._

With that final thought in mind, she let darkness consume her and Serena Cauldron drifted to the bottom of the Potomac River, her corpse never to be found.

But it was not the end of her story. Her "death" in one world was the beginning of her life in another, far more perilous world...

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 **Edited 30/11/2016**

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 **How do y'all like my idea of adding quotes? I thought it'd be nice, kinda sets the tone for the chapter. Plus, I started doing this in another story, and I really liked the idea of it. So many stories I've read did the same, and I always felt like they showed you the path the story or chapter would take.**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	2. Chapter 2: Heaven

**Chapter 2 — Heaven**

"I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But as much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking."

 **― Carl Sagan ,**

 ** _Billions & Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium_**

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It felt like she was being pulled through a tunnel of sorts and she could feel and see the lights that passed her behind her eyelids. Her skin was stripped tight to her bones, but it still felt like it wanted to leave her body, as if being torn off of it. Her eyes were burning from the many lights and movements and she wondered briefly if this was what it was like if someone went to the Afterlife.

She suddenly saw all her memories pass by her, from early childhood to before and even during the plane crash. The images rushing by at great speed hurt so much that she couldn't take it anymore and began screaming in agony. She could faintly register a searing pain at her abdomen, as if the flesh was being pulled together and ripped apart at the same time.

Then darkness came and she gladly embraced it.

As she came to again, the first thing she could hear was the rustling of leaves, the wind gently blowing through them, making the leaves dance and soar through the sky. The first thing she smelt was the smell of soil, dead leaves and something else that she couldn't place. It was a smell she was accustomed to and loved. Her home used to smell like this after a long downpour. The memory saddened her, knowing that she could never go back to her family or home ever again.

Blinking her blue eyes open, she saw everything blearily for several moments. Blinking again to get rid of said blurriness, she could see the sky above her, tinted in a faint orange color, clouds gently passing over it. Shifting her vision, she could see the leaves that were rustling, some flying in the wind and sinking onto her still form as she lay on the ground. She noticed that they were not the vibrant green that she was accustomed to, but instead a deep crimson, making her think that it must be fall. She breathed in deeply, savoring the smell of the earth.

When she thought she'd wasted enough time lying on the ground and doing nothing, she sat herself upright and looked at her surroundings more carefully. Figuring that she must be in a forest –– for the only thing she could see were trees and some mountains –– she got up and strolled around a bit, trying to find any sign of civilization, before asking herself if there even existed something like a town or city in the Afterlife.

 _Now that I think about it, they never show what the Afterlife looks like in the movies. Could be helpful right now,_ she mused to herself, continuing to stroll aimlessly through the thick, blood-red forest.

Only as she saw the beginnings of what looked like a city did she notice that, even if she found a shop or something, she probably had no money to buy anything. Digging through her pockets to see what was still left in them, she was pleasantly surprised when her hand brushed by her mobile, quickly pulling the device out of it. It was still fully operational but had no connection to any kind of satellite, although that was to be expected. Even if she could call someone, what would she say?

"Hey it's me, Serena. I'm dead but don't worry 'cause the afterlife looks pretty cool!"

Most certainly not.

As she continued the investigation of her jean's pockets, she pulled out the money that she'd still had in them only to find that they had changed. In her hand were no longer the typical US-Dollars, but banknotes that looked totally different. They had an orange color and on them were three people who seemed to be fighting monsters with swords and what looked like magic.

It was the first time Serena had seen this kind of imprint, but she found it most intriguing. Looking at the number inscribed on the left side of the note, her eyes nearly bulged out of her head as she counted the sum of money that was to her disposal. If she had not miscalculated, and if money still had the same value, then she had approximately three thousand dollars at her disposal.

Doubting her eyes –– as well as her mathematical skills, –– she re-calculated only to get the same result, making her heartbeat skip for a second and her breathing quicken. She'd never had so much money at once before in her life. Sure, her parents had sent some per post to support her in school and help her pay for everything that she needed, but they'd never sent three thousand dollars. If she was economical enough, this would last her for a long time until she could figure out how to gain money here.

Stocking it back into her jean's pockets, she descended the little path that led her to outskirts of the city. It was not a big one, but it had some shops and stores, each of them displaying something different. She passed a real estate agency that sold some houses and flats and looked up the prices for them. The cheapest of them cost 1,500 per month and it only had one small bedroom, a tiny kitchen and a toilet with a shower and basin as bathroom. If she were to rent this, she would be out of money after two months and if she hadn't found a job by then, she would have to live on the streets.

 _I guess it's not so different from real life. Even the prices are as high as in Washington, and this is the damn Afterlife where everyone is supposed to be happy and without worries. So much for a relaxing time after death..._

She continued her way, all the while thinking about what to do about her problem. Finally, she drew the conclusion to be living in the forest in a cave. At least until she'd found a reasonable solution.

While it may seem odd that she wanted to live in a cave in the middle of nowhere where she could get attacked by a wild animal or something, it's worth noting that she had seen some nice looking caverns on her stroll to towns and thought that, with some decorating and a good warm fire, it would actually be pretty comfortable to live in one of them. She remembered seeing the documentaries about the ancient city of Petra, the city carved into the canyons of Jordan, and figured that it would be like creating a modern-day Petra, City of One.

But the main reason was that she wanted to have some solitude and calm while being here.

Back in Phoenix, they had lived in one of the busiest parts of the city, so there was always some kind of commotion or noise. Washington had been even worse, police sirens going off every ten minutes and the city never slept, so they would be heard even in the dead of night.

No, what she needed right now was some calm and time to think, to process all that had happened in much too short a time.

She needed to come to terms with her new life here, without any family or friends. It would be hard getting used to it, but she was sure that she would eventually come to enjoy it, and she could always come into town if she felt lonely or needed to talk or see someone.

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 **Edited 30/11/2016**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	3. Chapter 3: Shopping

**Chapter 3 — Shopping**

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" Though nobody can go back and make a new beginning... Anyone can start over and make a new ending."

 **― Chico Xavier**

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Walking down the street some more, she came across a shop that sold different styles of clothing and shoes and decided to go through it. If she was going to live in the forest, then she would need some adequate clothing and good shoes.

Lucky for her, she had taken different courses throughout her years of high school, one of them being 'Survival in the Wild'. Most of her friends had thought it to be weird to take such a course when she could take something else like cooking or art, more fun ones as they'd liked to put it. But Serena thought that it couldn't hurt to know how to survive on your own. After all, you never knew if the car wouldn't suddenly decide to break down or something and you would have to stay some time in the wild until help arrived. At least she knew how to make fire, which plants and berries were edible and other things that were quite useful in her current situation.

The bells on the door chimed as the teenager pushed it open and said a quiet 'hello' which was returned by the shopkeeper, a young woman with brown hair and emerald eyes. She walked over to the clothing department and started rummaging through the different clothes, occasionally taking some pieces out and checking them before laying them on her left arm and continuing her search.

Considering that it had been winter in the 'Real World' Serena decided to choose some pullovers, two hoodies and a deep red cloak that looked to be quite warm and comfortable. A jacket would be too warm at the moment, so she didn't take one. And although the cloak looked thin, it actually held warm pretty well. That way she could also maneuver around the forest without her movements being restricted.

She then shuffled over to the pants and chose three pairs of jeans, one having a lighter color while the others were a bit darker, and also chose a belt that would fit perfectly.

She couldn't run around the forest, trying to get some food with her jeans slipping off every time –– that would just look ridiculous.

She also chose a pair of black jeans, a green pair and a red pair, the latter more with the thought that it would help her blend into the forest more. She had decided that she'd try to buy as little food as possible. So she had to hunt some game and eat plants and berries, though the thought of killing an innocent animal for her own gain didn't please her.

Serena walked over to the cabins and tried on all the different articles that she'd picked out, all of them fitting her nicely. Then she once again went over to the clothes and also picked some tank tops, mostly black ones, to wear underneath the hoodies in case it got really cold. Although she doubted it; it was quite a nice temperature here for it to be the middle of winter.

Next she needed shoes. Walking over to the counter, she asked the woman to place her articles in the back so that she could take them later and pay for everything. This being said and done, she strolled over to the shoes, looking at the different models and their prices.

One pair especially caught her eyes: it was a pair of dark green combat boots that would be tied with laces and reached up to just underneath her knee, perfect for any kind of exploration in the forest. And from the looks of it, they looked quite warm and comfy, perfect for winter climate. Putting them on, she walked a few rounds through the shop before deciding that they were perfect and took them back to the counter.

"So, have you found everything you need?" the vendor asked her politely and Serena simply nodded her head in answer. Going to the back, the woman returned with the rest of her clothes and put them all on the counter, scanning the different articles and putting them in a bag.

"That'll be 150 Lien, please."

 _"Lee-en" Huh? Sounds Asian._

Fishing in her pocket, she pulled out the according sum of money and handed it over to the woman. Seeing her surprised expression, however, the girl knew that something was wrong and asked the woman why she looked so shocked.

"It's not safe to carry so much money with you, miss. The city isn't safe, not since that monster Roman Torchwick started his little crime spree."

"Torchwick?"

"Haven't you heard? He's a dangerous criminal who only recently robbed a Dust shop only one street down. He got caught up in a fight with a Huntress from Beacon Academy. She was only fifteen years old and he tried to murder her all the same!" The woman shook her head with a weary sigh.

"He's that infamous?"

"He's known throughout the whole country! The Council has even set a bounty on his head; if by some miracle someone should catch him, he would be executed without trial. You should keep away from places where he's been seen, and don't even entertain the thought of leaving home at night. It's then that he comes out the most, although even in daylight he could strike," the woman warned her in a hushed voice, as if she was afraid that Torchwick guy would jump out of one of the aisles and shoot her down.

"Thank you for the warning, but none of that will be a problem for me since I won't be staying in the city."

"You won't?" the woman asked, quite perplexed.

"No. I'm going to live in the forest. Find some peace and quiet."

The clerk looked at her like she had just grown a second head. "Do you want to get killed?! Forever Fall is practically oozing with Grimm!"

"What are Grimm?"

"Don't you know anything?!"

She seemed almost angry at Serena for not knowing about such things. Realizing that she had been rather rude, she apologized and explained just what these 'Grimm' were.

"They are monsters, hideous demons, Creatures of Grimm. They have existed ever since humanity first appeared and have always attacked and destroyed us wherever they could. Only with the discovery of Dust did we even stand a chance of fighting back.

"People say they get attracted by negative emotions, and some even tell of them being the very incarnation of human negativity having taken animal form. If you're going to live in Vale, then you should never leave the walls. Even if you should have a weapon, only Hunters stand a reasonable chance against them."

It was fairly obvious that the woman was terrified by those creatures and Serena could only imagine what they looked like. If they were so feared and hated, then they probably didn't look like a fluffy bunny. Thanking the woman for her warning, Serena took her bag and exited, strolling down the street again, pondering about how she would try to live in the forest with those monsters there.

Her train of thoughts was cut short when she passed another shop and remembered that she had to buy some blankets, pillows and comforters for her new home. After all, she couldn't be sleeping on the ground.  
Pushing the door open, she was once again greeted, this time by an older man with gray hair. She politely returned the greeting, walking over to the comforters and blankets section of the store. Taking two rather thick and warm comforters for autumn and winter, she added another two that were lighter and would be used in spring and summer. She also added four blankets and two big pillows. She wouldn't buy a mattress.

No, she had something else in mind, something that was even better than a mattress. Paying for everything, she went to another store where she purchased some frying pans and three pots, a few plates, glasses and some cutlery and some towels. It was rather difficult to carry all of the things she needed without a car to put them in, but she managed.

Now that her shopping had been done, she could finally go back to the forest and look for a comfy cave, hopefully without encountering any of those Grimm monsters.

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 **Edited 01/12/2016**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	4. Chapter 4: Search

**Chapter 4 — Search**

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"For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. Not like hermits who have stolen away out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men, like Beethoven and Nietzsche. In their highest boughs the world rustles, their roots rest in infinity; but they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with all the force of their lives for one thing only: to fulfil themselves according to their own laws, to build up their own form, to represent themselves. Nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree.

[…]

When we are stricken and cannot bear our lives any longer, then a tree has something to say to us: Be still! Be still! Look at me! Life is not easy, life is not difficult. Those are childish thoughts. […] You are anxious because your path leads away from mother and home. But every step and every day lead you back again to the mother. Home is neither here nor there. Home is within you, or home is nowhere at all."

 **― Hermann Hesse,**

 _ **Bäume. Betrachtungen und Gedichte**_

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Finding a suitable cave proved to be more of a task than Serena had initially thought. Not that there weren't enough; no that was not the problem. There were about a dozen caves that she'd already inspected, but they never really fit her needs. They were either too small or too low, or there was the possibility of them caving in after some time. And if there was one thing that she dreaded, then it was being buried alive, which meant dying a second time. Not that she didn't think that she would somehow be resurrected, but if she could avoid it then she really did prefer not to die again.

So she resumed her search, venturing even deeper into the forest. Here, the trees were thicker, making it look like the perfect hideout. The branches made it hard to move around freely and she had to watch her step, making sure not to trip over a vine or any other offending object. The branches of the trees looked fairly thick and sturdy, and Serena had no doubt that they would easily hold her weight if she were to sit on them. Now that she thought about it, they could actually help her move around well. If she could get up on them, then she could go from one tree to another like a squirrel.

That is, as long as she didn't fall down.

She had taken gymnastics when she'd still been a child and had taken up the sport again once she was in high school, so it wouldn't really be a problem. The school's gymnastics team was well-known around America and she had been qualified enough to be accepted into it. Among normal things such as a handstand and a somersault, she had also trained on the trapeze. Now, she was able to do back and front flips with ease, among multiple others.

Of course, it would be different performing acrobatics in the middle of a monster-infested forest than in a controlled environment. But if she was able to adapt to the forest and trees, she would be able to use those skills for maneuvering around and hunting animals.

The thought of killing an animal made her feel queasy. She used to have a dog herself –– a Japanese Shiba Inu named Aki –– and had been present when she had to be euthanized due to a malignant tumor that had infested her body. Serena had wanted to comfort her life-long friend in her final moments, to make her death somewhat easier. The young girl still remembered the way her eyes slowly closed, never once doubting that she would be there when she woke up again. Aki had had so much faith in them that she'd accompanied them to the vet without a second thought, wagging her tail all the while.

The memory of the death of her best friend and the pain she'd experienced made tears come to her eyes. She knew that it had been for her best, but Aki had still been her dog, the one she trusted the most. Since then, her repulsion of killing animals had grown stronger and she would tense up and be on the verge of crying every time she saw it on TV, even if it was one animal killing another.

But if she wanted to survive and stay healthy, then she would have to get used to it and get over her repulsion. She had eaten meat at home, so why not here too? After all, it was always an animal that had to die. It didn't matter if it was her who killed it or someone else. At least she could kill it in a way that would cause it no pain.

Having settled that, she thought about what kind of weapon she should use for hunting. She couldn't throw knifes or anything flashy like that, but she had taken archery (another class her friends were astounded about). She had always been amazed by the way people could hit a target dead on with just a bow and arrow –– a weapon so primitive and yet so lethal. And so, when she'd had the opportunity to, she had taken archery lessons. And she had been pretty good at it too (if she dare be so bold), more than once hitting a bulls-eye or just slightly missing it.

Now that she thought about it, she had seen a weapon's store on her way back to the forest. It sold a vast variety of weapons, including a very sleek and modern looking set of bow and arrows.

Another thing she would be needing was a stick or spear. If she wanted to eat something other than just berries and meat, then she would need to go fishing. And since she wasn't one to sit around and wait for long –– her patience being non-existent for those kinds of things –– she would have to use a spear to fish. It also killed the fish instantly, so there was a positive side to it.

Retaining all those things in mind, she continued clearing a path until she spotted the opening of another cave a few yards away from her position. Moving over to it, she noticed that she'd trudged quite far into the forest. She could no longer see the outskirts of the city as she had been able to before, at the other caves.

Finally fighting her way through the thick canopy, she stood in front of a large cave, big enough to harbor several people at once. The opening was enormous –– like a gaping mouth –– and it looked to be quite stable, without any signs of caving in any time soon. Stepping inside, she sighed the cool temperature; a good feat for when it would be summer and temperatures would be rising.

The walls were surprisingly smooth, forming an arc over her head. It was deep, but not too deep, reaching in a few yards –– enough space to live in without it being too empty. On the right side was an indent in the ground: a perfect place to make a fire. Behind it were some rocks that reached further into the room which could be used as seats. She just needed to place them around the fire and it would be a nice spot to sit and warm herself up in the evening.

To the left were some more rocks that reached into the room, creating more possibilities. She could use those as makeshift shelves, putting on them her clothes, weapons, shoes, as well as other things she would need. At the back, where the cave ended, there was one long rock that jutted out into the room. Its surface was as smooth as the walls behind it and it left enough space for two to three people. Serena decided to make it her bed.

The cavern felt so homey –– which was odd in itself. It was almost as if somebody had lived here before but abandoned it long ago.

 _I guess I've found my new home,_ the girl thought contently.

She finally had a place she could refer to as home, even if it looked far from one at the moment.

Now I only have to decorate it a little and it could be pretty nice living here. I just hope it won't be getting too cold in the night.

Since it was still winter –– at least she assumed it was –– she put on her new pullover and the thick blanket. With that in mind, Serena made to putting her clothes on the rocks at the left before going off to find some kindling to start a fire.

An hour later, she had started a large fire which provided enough heat. She had also gathered a blanket full of leaves; she'd put them all into a duvet cover that she bought before she'd left the city. She had gathered as much as she could and now had a perfectly decent mattress. She swore it was more comfortable than the one she'd had at home: the leaves perfectly adjusted to her body and it felt as if she were lying on a cloud, the foliage softening the ground on which she lay. Being tired from all the events that had occurred in hardly a day, she pulled the blanket over herself and fell off to sleep.

Maybe, life wouldn't be so bad in this world.

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 **Edited 01/12/2016**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	5. Chapter 5: Weapon

**Chapter 5: Weapon**

It became known to Serena that choosing a suitable weapon wasn't as easy a task as she'd initially thought. She'd thought that all she had to do was go into the shop, choose the weapon and leave.

What she hadn't included into that plan were the varieties of models and the supplementary equipment which she now faced. Sure enough, she knew exactly what she needed: a bow and arrows, as well as a spear. Both were meant for hunting or – if the situation ever occurred – self-defense. Though she would never use the bow against another human being.

She had found a nice bow, so step one complete. But there were so many variations of it that she was a little overwhelmed.

The bow that had caught her eye was a slick black and green one. Along with it were thirty arrows, all stashed in a quiver that could be strapped across her torso. The weapon was suitable for the forest and as far as she had seen, she could even change its color by pushing a button, turning it a deep red or pitch black. It was exactly what she needed.

Only that there were three other identical bows right next to that one.

On the little notes that were placed beside them stood their respective function and for what they were best suited.

One of the shop keepers – a young man who must have been in his late twenties – saw just how confused Serena was. So, being the helpful being he was (and because it was his job), he walked over to assist her. He was, however, very much surprised that the young girl was interested in the bows and not any of the other – more modern – weapons.

Only few people knew how to handle a bow correctly, let alone shoot an arrow nowadays with all the dual weapons transforming into guns. Additionally, it wasn't really a weapon to be used in a fight. It required time to get the arrow into position and focus it on the target. Time that young Hunters and Huntresses-in-training did not possess if they were in a fight with the Grimm. So the schools had decided that students make their own weapons which would be perfectly fit for their individual combat style. Archery had become a relic of the past, something that was deemed unfit for battle in a modern age.

"Excuse me miss, can I help you? You seem to be having some trouble."

Serena looked up at him, not having heard his approach, being immersed in her thoughts. She smiled a small smile of gratitude. "Yes, I'm a little lost to be honest."

"Well then, what is it that you need? I can see that you're interested in the archery equipment."

"I am, but there are so many different models that I don't know which one to choose." She gave him a small smile, feeling foolish for not being able to find a weapon on her own.

"It depends for what you would need them. But I can already tell you that they aren't very well-suited for combat."

"Oh, no, I just want one for personal use. You know, to go hunt rabbits and maybe a deer or something... Nothing really big. I would never use it to fight someone."

"Hunting? In Forever Fall Forest? I don't mean to be rude, but there are no animals there to hunt. The only thing you would encounter would be Grimm, and I have to tell you that a bow and arrow will hardly do you any good against them."

 _So they really are that scary..._ Serena contemplated, catching the worry that flickered across the man's eyes. But this was Heaven, so she couldn't die again, right?

"But there must be something other than those Grimm in the forest?"

"Not as far as I know, miss. The animals left the forest a long time ago. No one has seen a rabbit, deer or anything else ever since. The Grimm are the closest thing to animals you'll find there. But they're not for eating; if you kill them, they'll just dissolve into thin air. You won't be able to gain anything from them."

This had the girl thinking. Should there really be no animals at all, she would be forced to come and buy meat from town, which would mean she would have to give up some money. If she didn't find a job soon, she would run out of money. And if that happened, she would have to live off berries and water exclusively. It wasn't that she hated berries or anything, but she couldn't eat berries for the rest of her stay – however long that may be. Without protein, her muscles would degenerate.

And if that happened she was be a goner.

Then she remembered the footprints she had seen on the forest floor when she'd been walking among the trees. She was sure they were from a rabbit – or something slightly bigger – and by the looks of it, it wasn't any kind of Grimm. But she had never seen one before, so who was she to judge?

"I'll take the bow anyway. Which one of the three would be most suited for hunting in the forest?"

The man was about to admonish her again that it would be completely pointless to go hunting in Forever Fall forest. He was also about to tell her that she should stay out of the forest. But the determination in her eyes kept him from doing so.

He figured that some people simply had to learn for themselves.

Maybe she liked to live on the edge, liked the rush of adrenaline when facing a Grimm?

He walked over to the green bow that could change color that Serena had been inspecting earlier. Holding it up to examine the weapon, he handed it to her, stating that it would be the most adequate for her future intentions.

"Thank you. Oh, before I forget: do you have anything along the lines of spears or javelins?"

"I'm guessing it's also meant for hunting?"

"Spear fishing," she replied with a grin.

The vendor gave a defeated sigh before walking over to another table with weapons laid out on its surface. He took what looked to be a short stick, barely the length of Serena's forearm. Noticing that she was about to inform him of her need for something bigger, he pressed a little button on the side and the stick expanded from both ends.

It was a long and slender staff, a head taller than Serena, giving it an approximate height of 5'10" (1,77 m) compared with the girl's 5'5" height (1,65 m). It was the perfect length, and although it was so long she found that it was still easy enough to handle. Pressing the button again, three long blades appeared on one end. Two of the blades were swept to the side and one pointed straight up, forming an upside down T. They were all mended together, the two blades that swept to the side protruding from the straight one, making them perfect for piercing fish.

"Anything else?" the male asked her.

"No, that's all I need for now. By the way, do you know if there is a drugstore around here? I've been looking for one, but I still haven't found it yet."

"Of course. It's right down this street and then two turns to the right. You'll see it, it has those big green lights flashing."

"Thank you. And thanks for helping me finding these two. How much do these cost?"

"The bow's 40 Lien and the spear 30. The arrows and quiver cost 40. So, all together, that would be 110 Lien."

Nodding, Serena walked over to the counter and paid said price. She waved a good bye, then walked down the street, turning right twice just like the man had told her. It wasn't long until she saw the bright lights of the drugstore. Quietly entering, she grabbed a basket and began looking for the things she needed.

Amongst normal things such as a toothbrush and toothpaste, supplies for personal hygiene and so on, she also included some bandages, a bottle of disinfectant, a pair of scissors, tape, a few hair ties – in case she wanted to put her hair into a ponytail because it could be really annoying – and a hair brush. These would be her first aid kit in case she got injured – she wasn't one to be unprepared for any kind of situation.

Strangely enough, she realized that her menstruation had stopped ever since she'd come here. She knew, because she'd had it when the plane crashed. But when she'd woken up in the forest, it was gone.

 _At least one good thing about being dead. Now I won't be getting cramps anymore._

Paying for the supplies, she made her way back to her little cave. It was surprisingly easy to remember the way. Though she had been afraid at first that she would get lost and would have to search for her new home again. She wasn't yet familiar with the forest, but in order to save herself the trouble, she created a map in her mind. It was based on landmarks such as trees or large boulders to help her navigate around without getting lost.

The sudden snapping of a twig coming from behind a bush made her head jerk up and look around. There was nothing there, but she was sure she felt the presence of someone or something hiding in the vicinity. Choosing not to challenge her luck, she marched on.

She didn't come very far.

Right in front of her, only a few feet away, was a black bear. But not just a normal black bear. It was the size of an elephant, with bony spikes sticking out of its back along. Along its face crept what looked to be a mask adorned with red markings. Add dangerous, crimson eyes and you had the perfect image of a creature that had crawled out of a nightmare.

There was no mistaking it. Only one thing came to mind as Serena stood there, paralyzed with fear:

 _Grimm_.

* * *

 **Edited 03/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	6. Chapter 6: Grimm

**Chapter 6: Grimm**

It was the strangest creature Serena had ever seen. It topped everything – from the movies to her worst nightmares.

Never had she seen such red eyes, gleaming maliciously at her. In them, she could see all the hatred and anger that the creature harbored – she understood why people were afraid of them.

The 'bear' stood on its hind legs, increasing its size drastically. Claws sharp as razors protruded from its paws, appearing as though they could shred her to pieces in the blink of an eye. The top of its skull was protected by what looked to be plates of bones and, as far as she could see, they continued to crawl down its back, tracing its spine.

Serena realized she'd stopped breathing upon her lungs aching in protest. Inhaling deeply, she tried not to make a single move – she knew enough about wild animals to know that they would react to any kind of sudden movement, most likely resulting in her being attacked.

But – even though she knew it could get her killed – she couldn't help but look into the creature's eyes. There was more than hatred and anger in them….

There was also pain and loneliness.

She felt sympathy for it.

The 'bear' continued gazing at her. It was as if it were sizing her up, debating whether or not she was a threat and if it should attack her. It slightly cocked its head to the side, leaning forward so that it was back on all four paws. Serena still did not dare to move – she feared that her accelerated breathing was enough to set the beast off.

But she had to remain calm. Panicking would not help her in this predicament. She knew that animals could sense fear and reacted to it, so she did her best to hide it, continuing to take in deep breaths, her chest heaving only the slightest.

Then a twig snapped somewhere behind the creature.

This seemed to be the trigger and the Grimm pounced at her, claws extended and ready to tear her up. For a second, Serena didn't even realize that it was actually attacking her. She just continued to stand completely still, staring into those bright red eyes. When the claws were just about to disembowel her, her natural defense instincts kicked in and she threw herself to the side, barely avoiding the razor sharp blades.

Quickly jumping back to her feet – for she had no time to lose – she turned around and saw the Grimm shift in her direction, lunging at her once again. This time however, she wasn't fast enough and one of the claws managed to graze her upper arm, producing a clear cut that stretched across the tender flesh. The cut immediately started bleeding, droplets falling onto the ground. Serena cringed at the pain, not having expected it.

 _Hold on; I'm bleeding! But this is Heaven. It should be impossible to get injured, let alone bleed!_

If what she'd seen in movies and read in books was anything to go by, then Heaven was a place without any sort of pain. People and animals alike were supposed to live together in harmony. The fact that the nearly demonic creature had attacked her and that she was now bleeding made

Serena doubted her real whereabouts. But she didn't have the time to ponder upon this as she could hear an angry roar from just behind her.

She had momentarily forgotten the beast in her confusion, and when she turned to look at it, it was only a few feet away, ready to attack yet again. This time, the clear intent to kill her shone in its eyes.

Having literally no other option left, Serena held her hands out in front of her. It was the only thing that she could think of to try to calm the beast down and somehow leave this forest alive. She carried her weapons with her, though she doubted that she would be able to inflict any kind of wound, let alone stop the creature with them. The arrows would simply bounce off the bones and the spear's blades would most likely shatter upon contact. Plus, she didn't yet know how to really employ them – even when she had taken archery lessons in school. She wasn't even sure that the bow was the same as back then.

Strangely enough, the creature did not attack again. This gave the teenager hope and she started to talk as she would with a child – in a quiet, soothing voice. The talking seemed to calm it down. She was astonished when the animal slumped back onto all four paws again and started slowly approaching her, withdrawing its claws.

She knew that every move counted now, so she continued talking quietly and kept her hands up, just in case it changed its mind. The 'bear' was now close enough for the girl to see the individual hairs of its pelt. It cautiously began sniffing her.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. You don't have to be afraid of me," Serena muttered soothingly.

 _How ironic,_ she thought. _I was the one scared to death not two minutes ago, and now I'm telling some big bear that could probably rip me to shreds not to be afraid of me._

She could feel its hot breath ghosting across her hands and slowly lifted one up to its nose, showing that she meant no harm. The creature moved up to her face and sniffed her up and down, inspecting her thoroughly...

Before licking her face.

Its tongue was rough as sandpaper, yet warm and wet with saliva. Coming out of her stupefaction, Serena couldn't help but giggle at the tender action so reminiscent of a puppy. She languorously lifted a hand up to its head. As there was no indication of the creature not liking it, she started to pet it gently, her fingers running over its head and the bones, amazed at the sheer trust this animal seemed to have in her now.

The bones were rough but also smooth, and she gently scratched the animal under its chin, much like she used to do with Aki. Surprisingly, the animal emitted a deep growl and she halted in her movement, fearing for a second that she'd done something wrong. But when the creature closed its eyes and tipped its head into the palm of her hand, she realized that it was actually purring in contentment, just like a cat.

She couldn't help but chuckle, and she had to laugh even more when the Grimm opened its eyes and looked at her questioningly, cocking its head to the side.

"Not as scary as everyone thinks you are, huh? I can't believe people are actually scared to death of you; you're just like my dog Aki. She also really liked it when I scratched her under the chin..."

The Grimm suddenly started nudging her arm gently, whining lowly. Only then did she realize that she had started crying. The memories of her beloved dog, as well as those of her family had made her sentimental. She didn't want to be like this.

But the thought of never being able to see them again made her heart ache in the most painful of ways. They must be grieving her death right now and she could see her mother undoubtedly crying all the time at her father's side. Oh, and her little sister Jasmine! They had always been close. She couldn't imagine how much her sister had to be hurting.

She wondered if they had already buried her body.

Had they even found it in the frozen river?

How many people had even survived?

Had any survived at all?

She couldn't think about it. Couldn't think about how many families were now grieving the loss of a son, a daughter, a mother, a father...

Shuddering, she petted the animal once more, then turned around to go back to her new "home". The Grimm followed her until she reached her home and then, giving her a final nudge and lick over the face, it trotted off into the forest.

When she couldn't hear it anymore, Serena went inside, got a towel and went back into the forest again. Just a small distance behind her cave, she had found a small pond filled with clear water. A small waterfall cascaded down on the left side and behind it she had enough privacy to bathe. Stripping off her clothes, she waded into the comfortingly cool water and submerged her head, wanting to wash away all the sadness that had overtaken her heart.

It would bring her nothing to start grieving now. Her family wouldn't want her to be sad if they knew she was still alive.

It would also do her no good sitting around all day. It would only provide opportunities for her mind to jump to painful thoughts. She had to somehow occupy herself for the time being. Pondering the idea, Serena decided that she might as well start training in how to use her new weapons. Some physical training like jogging or gymnastics also couldn't hurt.

She hadn't practiced her skills for a long time... But she still knew the moves and could feel that – with time – her body would remember them as well, and she would be able to leap from tree to tree and spin on branches like she used to do it in the gym.

But the most important part of training would be that with Grimm – if what she had encountered had in fact been one. There was little doubt that it was, but she had yet to see any other animals.

Maybe animals just looked like that here?

Furthermore, there was also the question of her whereabouts. She was seriously starting to doubt that she was in Heaven. But she couldn't – for the life of her – figure out where else she could possibly be if not in Heaven. She was sure she had died in that plane crash.

So where else could she be?

Unless she was in Hell.

 _I'll have to think about that when I'm done training myself back to good shape. If I am really in Hell, then I can't change anything about it. First things first: learn how to use bow and spear, and train with those creatures._

Decision made, she submerged once more, knowing exactly what to do.

* * *

 **Edited 11/12/2016**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	7. Chapter 7: Training

**Chapter 7: Training**

If she wanted to get her body back to the level it had been at before, then there were several things Serena had to do.

The first would be to once again build up stamina, so that she could maneuver around the forest freely and easily. For that, she had to be physically fit, which included running long distances.

She started her training by running a route she had explored earlier that morning. She estimated it to be a little over a mile long, the path clear enough to be able to run without stumbling every time. It extended from her new home around a large mountain until she reached a small clearing. From there, she had to run to the right and come across a big stone that was shaped like a potato until it was only a few more yards to her destination.

Another thing that was indispensable was for her to eat healthily. She had to regain some muscle in her arms and legs so that they wouldn't buckle whenever she put her entire body's weight on them – like when she performed a back-flip or something similar.

For starters, she would have to live off of berries and some herbs she recognized from ecology classes to sustain her energy. But she knew she couldn't keep that up for long. If she wanted to gain muscles, she needed to eat meat and fish too. Her body needed the extra fat and proteins, which meant that she would soon need to go hunting. But that was a problem for later.

So from then on, she woke up early every morning and started her day with running, then took a bath and ate breakfast. She mostly ate berries and some nuts and drank tea that she made out of leaves. It wasn't much for breakfast, but it was all she had at the moment. She repeated the run at noon and then again in the evening. At first she had to push herself a little to run the distance in one go, but her body soon got used to the exercise and it was on the third day that she found herself not panting as much for once. The fifth day she finished the course within thirty minutes, and the tenth she ran it like it was nothing at all.

She proceeded by extending her course and thus explored more of the forest as well. She realized that the leaves kept their constant red color, assuming that it would be like this no matter the season. It was probably also why people had called the forest Forever Fall.

She also noticed that it was pleasantly warm for it to be winter. It must have been around 18°C outside – not too cold and not too warm to do some training. It was thanks to this that she could wear only a T-Shirt and pair of leggings when running, and sometimes only a pullover was enough. She hadn't needed the warm cloak once, not even at night. Temperatures dropped then, but the fire and blanket kept her warm.

When she'd finally regained her previous strength, she started re-attaining all of her old moves – the somersault, back-flip, front flip, back walkover… But also the more dangerous ones she's performed on the trapeze. The former ones were easy enough to do and it only took her two days to get used to them again. The dangerous ones, however, were a little more tricky.

For most of them she needed something like a podium. The Amanar was one of the more daring maneuvers. It was easy to lose control over one's body and not turn enough in mid-air, resulting in a serious injury if one wasn't careful enough. She had always had troubles with this particular form and it took her several tries to get used to it again. But thankfully none of which resulted in injury.

She trained all of her moves for at least a week – enough time for her body to once again get accustomed to the way it had to move and bend. She quickly found herself doing every maneuver once in the morning and once in the evening. She relished in the feel of being able to float through the air again, defying the laws of gravity

The moment she was in the air, she felt… free.

Serena had always loved gymnastics for this – the sheer feeling of freedom that she got when she pushed off the ground and saw everything go by as if in slow motion. But she had had no time when she had entered middle school and it had only been in high school when she could take the lessons again. Her luck was that her school's team had one of the best gymnastics teams. She had learned a lot in the time that she had trained with the others.

She continued her vigorous training, mixing in some kicks and punches, training herself in martial arts as well. She had seen enough movies to be able to perform a decent kick and – combined with her gymnastics – it gave her the advantage of mobility and speed. Not to mention that she was extremely dilative and responded rather fast.

Additionally, she commenced using tree branches as bars and was ere long able to swing from one tree to another, or simply pull herself up onto one branch and then use her skills to travel. It was sometimes faster than going by foot and it would help her in hunting, minimizing the possibility of making too much noise.

Now that she thought about it, she also had to get accustomed to using her new weapons if she didn't want to continue living off berries and herbal tea.  
She started off with the bow, getting familiar with it, learning how many times she had to push a button so that it would change color, and the way in which she had to hold the arrow so that it would hit its mark. It was not much different from the bow she'd used back in high school, and she was able to hit a bulls-eye nearly every time she let go of the arrows after little time. The only problem was that she only had twenty arrows and they were not cheap either. Though they were sleek, modern and extremely durable, she knew she had to be careful with them and preferably not lose them or anything.

The spear was like-wisely easy to use. It was made out of what seemed to be steel, yet it was fairly light in her grip, making it easy for her to twirl and fight with it. At least she wouldn't exhaust herself by the sheer weight of it. She had to memorize that she had to push the little button once so that it would extend to its full height.

Despite it being a head taller than her, she got used to it quickly and was wielding like she'd been doing it for years in no time. The spear she would only use for fishing. It would be impossible to impale an animal from such a short distance and frankly, she refused to kill in such a way. No, she would use the bow for hunting rabbits or deer and the spear for fishing. And – if it ever occurred – she would also use the stick, not the spear, for self-defense.

If someone were to visit her, that is.

The next part that was on her schedule was far more difficult: she wanted to start training with the Grimm.

For that she had to first find one and then hope that what had happened before had not just been her luck. If she could become friends with them, then at least she would have someone to keep her company.

But that could wait until another day. She had trained so much in the last few days, she didn't even notice how tired her body was and only two minutes after she had done her daily exercise and eaten some berries did she fall asleep next to the fire, its warmth and gentle crackling lulling her to sleep.

* * *

 **Edited 17/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	8. Chapter 8: Friends

**Chapter 8: Friends**

Serena had to be as quiet as possible.

Silently placing her foot down, she looked around to find another clear spot to settle her left foot. The forest was dense and thus there were many dead leaves and branches lying around. Objects that would easily emit a sound if she were to step on them, which would result in them giving away her presence. She silently cursed to herself when she noticed that there were no more paths for her to walk, so she decided that she had to take to the trees. Despite the thickness of the forest it was easy enough to go from one tree to another without making much noise. Swiftly heaving herself up by a low hanging branch she assessed her location and chose the next tree by which she would travel for now.

It was time.

This morning Serena would start her training with the Grimm. She had rested the day before and thought about all the possible ways on how to get to know and – if possible – befriend them.

Though the first thing she had to think about was how she would actually find them. As far as she knew, the creatures lived somewhere deeper in the forest, and during all the time she'd trained outside did she not once see one pass by. This fact led her to assume that they had their own areas – like gang territories so to say – where they gathered, and it would be more likely to meet them there than anywhere else.

So, having figured out the best method would be to stroll through the forest and look for them – simple but usually effective. Ever since she had gone off she had been very conscious of not creating too much noise. If she found a Grimm, then she wanted to be able to hear them before they could hear her.

She wanted to be the one to surprise them – not the other way around.

Quietly jumping from one branch to the other she looked around, but still there were no signs of any kind of Grimm. Sighing, she continued her search by hopping and spinning from one branch to the next. It were times like these that she was glad she had not forgotten the movements of yearlong training. After what she estimated to be an hour of constant traveling there was still no sign of any kind of animal. Looking down, she spotted what appeared to be a footprint – but not one of a human or rabbit. It looked more like a wolf or bear, the long claws creating large dents in the still moist soil. She quietly jumped down and examined them.

 _Definitely from a Grimm. I think they're still fresh…_

She stood up straight and looked around, staring her ears for any kind of noise – the rustle of a leaf, the breaking of a tree branch… But there was nothing and she thought that maybe the Grimm had already left the area. She wasn't the best at reading tracks, so it could be that she had misjudged the freshness of the imprints.

So back to looking and hopping around, it seemed...

...But before she could do so, she heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by a low grumble not ten feet from her. Her muscles tensed and she held her own breath, hoping that she would survive what was to come. After all, for all she knew her previous luck with the beasts could have been just that – luck.

Another leaf rustled and Serena turned in the direction of the sound, staring at the bushes and trees behind which she suspected the Grimm. She strained her eyes so much that she could actually feel a slight headache coming, but she didn't care – it was a minor nuisance at the moment. She repeatedly forced herself to stay calm and breathe normally. They would sense her fear and weakness unless she controlled herself, though she was not sure that would help her.

Then there was a third rustling and the creature finally left the cover of the bushes at which she had been staring for what felt like an eternity. It appeared to be another bear, though this one had less plates of bone covering its body which made her wonder just what those bones exemplified. Its eyes were as red as the other Grimm's as it came at her, perched high on its two hind legs, emitting a low growl. Once again, she found herself being studied. It was almost as if it was assessing the threat she posed.

 _How ironic; I'm the threat, not him._

"It's okay… I won't hurt you."

She deemed talking to be the best way out of this. It had saved her life the last time. Maybe the creature could even understand some of what she said. And if it did not, then she at least hoped that her calm tone was any indication to it of her peaceful nature.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. Come here," she cooed as if she were talking to a child. The creature did remind her a bit of one, though she would never say that it wouldn't kill her in two seconds flat. She crouched down, placing a hand on the ground to steady herself and held the other out to the animal. The Grimm only cocked its head slightly, and – slowly but surely – it started to lower itself as well and advanced toward her with careful, heavy steps.

The girl held her breath – she just hoped it had been the right decision to crouch down to the animal's eye-level.

She reached her hand out a little further and closed her eyes for a moment when the Grimm got close enough, holding her breath, waiting if she would lose her hand or not.

But she never felt pain.

Instead, she could feel the creature's warm breath ghost over her open palm and when she opened her eyes she was staring directly into those of the Grimm. But as before, she saw no malice in them, no intent to hurt her. She only detected sorrow and what looked like appreciation, as if it were actually happy that someone wanted to pet it.

The raven-head slowly laid her hand atop the Grimm's snout and slowly began to move up to its head, patting and scratching once she reached its ears. The animal did nothing except let out a low growl and pressed its head into her hand more, as if to tell her to please continue what she was doing. A soft smile graced Serena's lips – she could not believe that she could actually handle these creatures that were supposedly the incarnation of negativity and just plain evil. She was overcome with happiness, subconsciously starting to cry. Only when the Grimm licked her face with its rough tongue did she notice the moistness on her face. She identified the motion as concern and began to cry even more, touched by the sheer concern and care the animal seemed to have towards her.

"I'm okay, don't worry. I'm just so happy…" Another sob racked her body, all the penned up emotions coming rushing. "I'm not alone anymore… If you want, then you can be my first friend here. I haven't really had the chance to meet anyone else, and I think I'll appreciate your company more than that of humans at the moment," she spoke, feeling the need to reassure the animal that seemed to understand her. The Grimm suddenly took a few steps back and turned around, advancing a few steps before turning its head to look at her.

"Hmm? What is it?"

The creature nodded his head in the direction it was turned, before looking at her expectantly. She took it as an indication to follow and stood up, dusted herself off and then closely followed. It coerced her deeper into the forest, and she could spot a row of mountains in the distance.

"Could it be you live here?" she inquired as though she were actually expecting a response, momentarily forgetting that she was – in fact – talking to what was essentially an animal. The bear snorted in reply and continued on, trotting towards what seemed to be an enormous cave, far bigger than her current home. The forest here was even denser than before, and she had to keep close to the Grimm so that the branches that were pushed away by it would not smack her in the face. When they arrived at the cave, the Grimm gave a loud sound that strangely resembled the howling of a wolf and only moments later several other Grimm appeared, all bears.

Some were small and had no bony plates or spikes, which made them look extremely similar to large black bears, while others' bodies were almost fully covered by them. To her, they were the size of monster trucks. Serena temporarily lost her courage, intimidated by the sheer number of potential dangers that were all gazing at her with their vivid red eyes.

A gentle nudge against her back made her focus again, and she looked behind her at her companion who was growling lowly, comforting her with his simple presence. She felt like he was telling her that he had her back and that it was okay. The girl took this as encouragement and slowly approached the other Grimm, her new-found guardian following shortly behind, ready to protect her from its own kind. She opted to approach the biggest one that sported the most bones – it seemed he was the leader of the pack. If she could get approval from him, then surely the others would accept her as well – or would at least not be allowed to kill her.

She once again extended her hand in front of her and approached at a slow but steady pace, heart thumping wildly in her chest. _Sweet Jesus, please let this work,_ she prayed, trying to remain as calm as possible, though inside she was a maelstrom of emotions. But she knew that she had to focus and not mess this up, or else she might not leave here alive.

She may have one of them on her side, but one Grimm could not fend off an entire pack.

When she finally reached the biggest of them all, – who couldn't have been smaller than a mining haul truck – the beast sniffed her hand. Only after a tense few moments did she find herself patting it and was soon surrounded by the others as well, some sniffing her curiously while others took to licking her face.

She could burst, and internally she was, but she only allowed herself to laugh, once again doubting that one person could possibly have so much luck. First she survives a deadly plane crash and then she befriends creatures that no other human dares to near without heavy-duty weapons. It all seemed like a dream to her.

"Thank you." She repeated the two words again and again, not really knowing who exactly she was thanking and not really caring. She was just grateful that it had all turned out like this.

* * *

The following days she visited the Grimm more often, and every time she improved her interaction with them to the point that she was almost a member of their family now. She had even given them names.

The one that had accompanied was given the name Ajax, and the leader of the Grimm pack was Napoleon. The first name she had chosen randomly, coming up with it one evening before she'd gone to sleep. The other – Napoleon – she had chosen out of a reason. Napoleon Bonaparte had been _the_ man in the French Revolution, leading and winning countless battles in the name of his country. Because of Serena's love for history, she had found the name rather fitting for the leader of such an enormous pack. She did not, however, miss out on the sheer irony of naming such a titanic animal after a tiny man.

She was yanked out of her thoughts when Ajax suddenly stopped in front of her, making her bump into his large shoulder. Her new best friend had shown up at her home this morning and signaled for her to follow him. So, not being one to object to his idea of doing something, she had done as he wanted and had been dwelling in her own thoughts until now.

They had arrived at what seemed to be ruins, though the girl was not sure of what they were. From the looks of them they could be the ruins of a castle, or a bridge that had once stood there. Looking at Ajax, she saw him peering right into the sky, seemingly waiting for something. She did the same and it was only minutes later that an enormous black bird the size of a jet plane appeared from behind the cliff in front of which the ruins stood. It had a long beak and large claws, followed by big pointy and deadly looking feathers. It actually looked like the animal could shoot them like projectiles, and Serena had no doubt that it really could.

The bird closed in on them and landed a few feet away from them, cawing shrilly once as if to communicate with the Grimm beside her. Ajax growled and howled once and after that, he nudged her forward, in the direction of the large bird. It was even more enormous up close and the woman had to admit – she was scared shit-less. Its beak looked to be quite dagger-like, and she had no doubt that it could rip her to pieces or tear the flesh right off her bones.

Looking back to Ajax, she saw him shaking his head as if to tell her that it was okay. "I'll trust you, friend," she said almost in warning before walking towards the feathered Grimm.

She had to do this differently. She couldn't't just simply reach out her hand – the beast was too big, she would never reach it. So, instead, she walked until she was right in front of it and then touched one claw, waiting for a reaction. When nothing happened, she grabbed some feathers and started to heave herself up, getting aided by Ajax who used his head as prop to help her climb. It took quite some effort and she nearly fell off twice, but when she finally made it to the animal's head, she positioned herself on its skull and then let her own head hang down, looking the creature straight into one of its four eyes. She was fairly sure that this was _not_ the right way to do it, but it was the only solution she'd come up with.

Time passed slowly as she continued staring into the one red eye until the Grimm gave a loud caw and with one powerful flap, she abruptly found herself up in the sky, maintaining eyecontact with the animal. When she saw that it did not seem to mind her on its head, she carefully pulled back and sat down on its head, grabbing hold of the feathers.

"You want to make a little tour with me?"

The bird only continued climbing in altitude until they were so high that Serena could see the city she'd been to. Looking down, she could identify a small black spot as Ajax. When the bird began sailing through the air, she erupted in cheerful laughter, releasing her only safety belt for a few seconds to spread her arms wide and enjoy the feel of the wind rushing past her face and through her dark tresses. She quickly grabbed hold anew when she felt the bird start to dip down and was glad that she'd done so, because not ten seconds later, she found herself spinning in loops, laughing hysterically from the sheer adrenaline kick. When the Grimm flew normal again, she huffed mockingly, "Show off."

They were nearing the ruins again and when they touched down on solid ground once more, Serena swiftly climbed down, using the animal's beak as slide, dropping the last few feet down. Perfectly landing on her two feet, she turned around to the Grimm and bowed in respect and gratitude. She could see that she had found another friend.

"I'm looking forward to some more tours and loops… Aeolus."

She added the name after thinking for a moment. It belonged to the Greek god of the winds and the air, fitting for a creature that could soar through the sky with such skill. The Grimm cocked its head slightly, then cawed and gently nudged her once with its beak before flying off. The female went back to Ajax and hugged him tightly, hiding her face in its black pelt.

"You know, I'm almost happy that I died and came here. I would never have found friends like you and the others back on Earth… I think my life here won't be as bad as I first thought," she mumbled before she started to walk back to her home, her furry friend walking right beside her.

* * *

 **Edited 26/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	9. Chapter 9: Hunt

**CHapter 9:** **Hunt**

A lot had happened the last few days.

Ever since Serena had met Napoleon's pack, she had been introduced to even more Grimm. The newest of them were Grimm that looked just like wolves. It was harder to tame those — the ones that did not possess any bones attacked her the moment they saw her.

But thankfully Ajax had been with her at all times, and after a few more encounters, she managed to survive and eventually befriend the once hostile creatures. They backed down when they saw the bear look-alike Grimm was actually protecting her, though she saw that they were still not sure what to think of her. The usual method proved to be the most effective one, and after a few growls from Ajax and a few sniffs from the wolves, she had finally buddied up with what seemed to be yet another pack of Grimm.

Secondly — and the most extraordinary of all — she had suddenly become able to feel the emotions that Ajax, Napoleon and the other Grimm she was with felt.

At first, she'd thought that her mind was playing tricks on her or the like. But the more time passed, the more she felt emotions resonate within herself that did not belong to her. For example, she had felt extreme happiness when Ajax had met her one morning. Another time it had been a great sense of respect when she had been with Napoleon and the others.

Of course she respected and loved the animals. Yet she perceived that those feelings did not belong to her.

And with every passing day they became stronger to the point that she could feel Ajax's excitement at meeting her when he was still far away.

She concluded that she had somehow formed a strong bond with her friends — stronger than anything she had ever had with another human — and was therefor able to feel their emotions. At least that was the theory.

And, last but not least, she had cut her hair short. She it had been hindering her during training; even if she put it in a ponytail it would still get in her way. And when she had traveled by tree it often got stuck on a branch and she had to untangle it every single time, which had been a lot.

So, instead of plaguing herself any further, she had grabbed her scissors and cut it short at the pond that was not too far from her new home. Now she wore it short, almost as short as a boy's. Her bangs still framed her face, but it was nothing compared to the amount of hair that she'd had before. She had loved her hair, sure, but she was the practical type of girl and therefor did not regret her actions. And she somehow liked it better now; it made her look more mature and, surprisingly enough, more feminine.

Now, most people think that cutting one's hair is not a big deal, but for her it was. It marked the start of her new life and that she was ready for anything it threw at her. She was ready to stand up for herself and live her life by her rules, no matter what troubles she might face in the future.

Another minor decision she had taken: it was time to hunt. She still did not welcome the thought of killing and eating an animal, but she'd had enough of eating berries and drinking water or tea that she made out of some herbs she knew, which weren't many to begin with.

She needed meat and today, she was going to get it.

That was also the reason why she was currently perched up high on a tree branch, her brown jeans and dark red hoodie blending in perfectly with the trees. She'd figured that being on higher ground would give her the advantage, granting her a good view over most of this part of the forest.

Perfect to make out her unfortunate victim.

 _Listen to me. I'm talking as if I want to kill a person, not a rabbit,_ she thought with a light snicker.

Ajax had stayed back at her cave when she'd told him to do so. He was such a good soul, always listening to her and protecting her.

The rustle of a bush made her return her focus to back beneath her. It came from her right, not too far off from her current position. She slightly raised her bow and nocking in an arrow, ready to take the shot. The rustling moved more to the left and finally a rabbit jumped out from its hiding place several feet from her. Its nose was sniffing the air, making those cute movements that she couldn't get enough of. It raised its head and its ears twitched and turned a little.

For a second, it looked over at her and Serena almost thought that it had detected her presence, but then it lowered its head again and started munching on some leaf-covered grass. The girl let out a silent breath and raised her bow more, arrow pointed at the rabbit. She pulled back on the cord and, with a slow release of breath, she let go. The animal didn't see it coming and the projectile hit it right in the chest, killing it instantly. Serena had aimed for the heart, not wanting to torment the poor thing, and it looked like she had hit her mark dead on.

She quickly climbed down and walked over to the now dead animal, feeling sorry that it had to die for her own benefit, but she would not waste the meat she gained from its sacrifice. Grabbing it by the ears, she lifted the rabbit into the air and began her way back home, her stomach grumbling to her own mortification. She was ashamed that she was actually delighted at the death of the creature — or at least her stomach was.

When she got back, Ajax was lying inside, beside the fire that she always maintained going. She had had enough trouble trying to light the first one, so she would be damned if she had to restart one every day. Her friend lifted his head from his paws and gave a low growl mixed in with a yawn in welcoming.

"Hey, hope I didn't wake you."

As if he understood, he shook his head and then walked over to her, looking quizzically at the animal in her hand and sniffing it a few times.

"It's for me, not you," she said teasingly, although she knew that he oddly enough did not need any kind of food. Never once had she seen him or any of the other Grimm eat. She concluded that they did not need to eat and so she had no worries about him stealing anything for his own consume, which was quite convenient.

The blue-eyed girl walked over to what she proudly referred to as her kitchen. It was nothing like an actual one, though. It was simply a big stone on the right side of the cave, just a few feet away from the fireplace. She had rolled it away a little with Ajax's help so that she could prepare her meal without the danger of falling over the other stones that she used to sit on. The surface was smooth and even, perfect for cutting meat or vegetables.

Serena laid the rabbit on the surface and grabbed the knife that lay on a little rock beside her kitchen. She used it to put on her knifes, cutlery, plates, glasses and the few pans and pots she owned. She carefully cut off the head — almost throwing up in the process — and threw it into the fire, letting the flames work their magic and reduce it to ash. She had no need for the head, and since she had no trash can she had no other choice but to let it be incinerated.

She proceeded by skinning the animal, her hands getting bloodier and bloodier by the second, and when she had to take out the organs she finally couldn't take it anymore and ran to the nearest tree to empty her stomach. After rinsing out her mouth and splashing some of the cool water onto her face, she resumed the task at hand until only the meat was left. It was a lot and she only pierced some of it onto one of the blades of her stick, then positioned it so that the it was hanging over the fire, the flames gently licking and roasting it. She opted for drying the rest of it in case she could not go out one day. With a little improvisation, she managed to hang it over the fire by a thread she'd bought during her first visit in the city.

When her food was roasted enough, she picked it off her staff with a fork and placed it on a plate that she had grabbed before. When it had cooled enough, she took the first bite, surprised that it actually tasted so good. She didn't particularly like rabbit meat, but if she had hunted a deer then she would never be able to consume all the meat. And, for starters, she thought that a rabbit would be enough.

 _It's good, but I still should go and look if they have some beef in some store in that city. I should also buy some dried meat, in case I run out of whatever I will kill next._

Her peaceful lunch was, however, disrupted by a sudden scream piercing the otherwise silent forest. Serena immediately dropped her meat and grabbed her stick, running out of her cave. She listened and waited for it to sound again and when she heard the scream, she could tell that it came from a girl.

It came from the left, she noted. Loosing no time, she took off, Ajax running behind her, alarmed by her sudden reaction. It was not long before she came upon a little girl that was facing a Grimm. The bear-like creature was poised in front of her, perched high on its hind legs and looked ready to deal the finishing blow. Before it could, Serena jumped between the Grimm and its prey.

"That's enough, Deion! Leave her alone," she commanded, arms spread protectively in front of the child. Deion was one of the troublemakers and she could feel his reluctance of letting his prey leave alive. But after a short glaring contest he finally let up and left, throwing a low growl and snort over his shoulder to voice his disgruntlement. It hadn't been easy to get close to him and Serena still had her doubts about fully trusting him.

Turning around, she stretched out her hand to the terrified girl and gave a kind smile. "Are you okay? I hope he didn't hurt you," she said gently, hoping that her voice would calm the poor child down.

It seemed to rip her out of her shock and Serena suddenly found herself crushed in a hug, the girl burying her head in her chest while crying. She gently wrapped her arms around her and stroked her back, hoping it would help her calm down.

She lifted her head when she heard quick footsteps approaching from in front of her and not shortly after, a girl maybe three or four years younger than her appeared, her hands wielding a giant scythe. She looked confused for a moment until she saw the girl the raven head was holding and then, quickly putting away her weapon, she walked over to the two.

"Are you two okay? I heard screaming and thought that maybe you were being attacked by Grimm."

"I-I was b-but this l-lady sa-saved me," the girl that had been attacked stuttered in reply, lifting her head from Serena's chest to look at the newcomer with teary eyes.

"That's good then. I almost thought you-"

She abruptly halted mid-sentence and grabbed her weapon again, the giant scythe unfolding in less than three seconds. Serena saw that she was looking at something right behind her and when she turned, she spotted Ajax behind a tree. It looked like he didn't know if he should approach and was awaiting his friend's signal.

"It's okay; he's with me. He won't do anything to us," Serena assured the silver-eyed girl. Both the child and scythe wielder were now looking at her as if she'd sported a second head.

Serena sighed once before speaking, "I guess I have some things to explain. Anyway, come along, I'll treat you to some tea and lunch if you want. My home's just over there."

With that said, she turned around and heard the other two following her after a short time of hesitation. She really had a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

 **Edited 27/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	10. Chapter 10: Conversation

**Chapter 10: Conversation**

The short walk to her home was quiet and Serena could feel the stares of her two guests, as well as the tenseness that resided within them at Ajax's presence.

Their reaction was not a surprise to her, however; she had gained the same reaction back when she had gone into the city the first time, right after her arrival here in the Afterlife. She still remembered the scolding the woman had given her for not knowing about Grimm and how horrified she had been when Serena had told her of her plans to live in the forest.

She could tell that the two girls were both wary of her and the creature at her side, one sign being that the one with silver eyes still held her weapon in her hand. When Serena spotted her home, she turned around to them and gave them a slightly forced smile.

"We're here; this is my home. I hope you won't mind the lack of furniture."

Both girls looked around several times, looking for something it seemed.

"Um, where's your house? I can't see it," the girl with the scythe asked.

"Oh, that's because I don't live in a house," she replied with a small smirk, then pushed away the few bushes that hid her home and stepped forward.

"Wait, you mean you live here? In a cave?" It was the little girl that spoke this time, the stutter having left her voice to be replaced by confusion.

"Yup. Come on in."

Both girls gave each other a glance, then followed the bizarre woman inside. She had been right; there really was no furniture. Only rocks and some pillows and blankets that were lying at the end of the cave on a long rock.

"Take a seat," Serena invited them, showing them to the fireplace. They each took a seat on a rock while she went to get her tea kettle. She walked over to the exit, quickly telling them that she was going to get some water and would be right back.

The girls inspected what the ravenette had referred to as her home, noticing the lack of anything superfluous like a mirror, books or anything of the sort. It was completely utilitarian.

"This is freaky," the scythe-wielder stated. The girl beside her could only nod in agreement.

When Serena got back, she put some herbs into the kettle that was now filled with water, put on the lid and hung it over the fire by the same thread which she used to dry meat (which was now securely stocked in an envelope that she'd made out of leaves). When the tea was finished, she lifted the pot off the fire with the help of her staff and gave each one a cup of it.

"It's just some herbal tea. I made it out of some herbs that I know from school. It's not poison or anything like that, so you can drink it," she reassured them after seeing their wary looks regarding the drinks offered to them. To prove her point, Serena sipped some from the same container she had poured theirs from, and when they saw that nothing happened after about a minute, they also drank theirs.

"So, um, Miss…"

"I'm Serena. Serena Cauldron," Serena introduced herself.

"Right, Serena. Can I call you Serena, or should I call you Miss Cauldron?" the silver-eyed girl asked uncertainly.

"Serena's fine. I'm not that old," she replied jokingly.

"Okay. So, first I want to thank you for saving her," the girl continued while looking over at the smallest of them all.

"I'm Azuna."

"And I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose. I'm training to become a Huntress," the scythe-wielder introduced herself proudly. Serena wondered what a Huntress was but decided that she could find out later.

"It's nice to meet you two. I hope you didn't get hurt by Deion earlier, Azuna. He can be quite the handful."

"Um, no, I'm fine. But how did you do that?" Azuna asked.

"Yeah. That Ursa over there," Ruby said while pointing at Ajax, who looked very much like a comically large dog lying down, "seems to listen to you. I've never seen anyone being so close to a Grimm without being attacked or killed. How do you do it?"

"Uh, well, I don't really know to be honest," Serena replied while scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

"What do you mean you don't know? They listen to you, do what you say! I've never heard of anything like this before," Ruby exclaimed excitedly.

"I don't know. I met one of those in the forest one day and he attacked me, but then he just stopped. Ever since I've started living here two weeks ago I met more like that one and I became close with Ajax and Napoleon and all the others. I seriously don't know why, but they seem to like me. Aeolus even lets me fly on him-"

"Whoa, wait! Fly on him? You wouldn't mean a Nevermore, right?" Ruby interrupted, eyes widening. This woman couldn't really be able to tame a Nevermore; that would just be crazy.

"Nevermore?"

"It's a Grimm that looks like a big black bird."

"Yeah, that's Aeolus."

"What?! You mean you can fly on a Nevermore and get along with a whole lot of Ursa and they don't do anything to you?!" Ruby's eyes were so wide, Serena feared they would pop out of her skull.

"Yeah, they're kinda like pets, you know? They're not as bad as everyone thinks."

"And this cave here is your home? You live here, in the middle of the forest where tons of Grimm are?"

"Yeah. I don't have anywhere else to go. And I like it here; it's so peaceful and quiet," Serena explained with a content smile.

"What about your family?" Azuna asked. She had kept quiet the entire time, but hearing that Serena lived here all alone made her worry for the older female.

Serena looked over at the blonde girl and gave a sad smile. "They're not here. Or rather, I'm not with them. I died before them, so I'm all alone here. What about you?"

"Died? What are you talking about? You're right in front of my eyes, you can't be dead," Ruby inquired, a frown taking residence on her face, not understanding what this girl meant when she said she'd "died".

"Oh, then I guess you guys don't know. This might come as a shock, but this is the Afterlife. We're all dead, so we ended up here," she explained cautiously, not wanting to make the girl panic. "I died in a plane crash. How did you pass on?"

"What? I never died! I'm alive and so are you! This isn't the Afterlife! We're in the Kingdom of Vale!" Ruby declared, beyond confused at this point. Now why the hell would she be dead? She was seriously starting to worry about this girl's mental health.

It was Serena's turn to be confused. She _had_ died, she was one-hundred percent sure about it. She could still remember the impact, the pain and the freezing water into which she had slowly sunk. She had a scar from that wound!

"But… I died," she said almost pathetically in an effort to assure herself. "I know exactly how I died."

She was almost about to think that Ruby was the crazy one when she remembered something. The light… Before she'd closed her eyes she'd seen a white light! She still remembered the way her body had been torn every which way.

"Are you sure that this isn't Heaven, or Hell, or whatever?" she asked both girls and they both nodded in the affirmative.

 _Could it be that that time I didn't die? No way… I've heard theories about parallel universes and all that science fiction crap, but I never thought that they could really-_

"Hey, you ok?" Ruby asked, carefully placing a hand on Serena's shoulder. The girl had suddenly gone quiet, eyes wide and unblinking as if some horrible truth had been revealed to her, and now she was crying, although Ruby doubted that Serena was aware of it. She looked like she was caught in her own thoughts until she registered the pressure on her shoulder and looked up at Ruby with wide, teary eyes.

"I'm alive…"

It came out as barely a whisper, but due to her proximity Ruby could hear the words. _She really thought she was dead,_ Ruby realized sadly, only able to imagine what had to be going on inside the girl in this moment. _But, if she thought that she was in Heaven, or Hell, or whatever… Then what happened to her to make her think that?_

It was then that Serena broke down, crying and screaming out her soul. She was alive! She was alive and alone and just… lost. Ruby and Azuna did their best to console her, but there really wasn't much they could do. This was something Serena had to go through on her own.

Once she had calmed down somewhat, Ruby asked her what made her think she was dead all this time. She told them everything — from the plane crash to the time where she woke up in the middle of the forest, to the time where she met them. The two girls still had some lingering doubts about this more than crazy story, but once Serena showed them the large scar that ran across her stomach, all doubts vanished into thin air. The thing looked awful, and probably felt as much.

They stayed for a few hours, asking questions about how Serena had learned to tame Grimm, and she even taught them how to do it with the help of Ajax.

Ruby never once thought that she would see a Grimm be so kind and gentle towards a human, and she could see the great respect the creature held for the black-haired woman. The Ursa, now known as Ajax, even let Ruby and Azuna pet it. The red-hooded reaper now understood why Serena would say that he was almost like a pet — he was big and furry and something entirely else than what she had learned at Beacon.

Here, with Serena, the Grimm was not a bloodthirsty monster that was only out to kill.

When dusk came they each said their goodbyes, but before she left with Azuna, Ruby had to ask Serena one final question.

"What are you going to do? You have a power nobody has ever seen before. How will you use it?"

Everything depended on the woman's answer. The power she wielded was too great to be left alone. If she wanted to she could summon enough Grimm to overwhelm Vale, maybe even the other kingdoms. The Huntress had to make sure the girl wouldn't use her powers for evil. But the smile that she received already answered her question.

"Nothing. I'm going to continue to live here and try to keep anyone that comes into the forest out of trouble. I'm not planning to use my 'power' — as you call it — to cause anyone harm. All I want is to live in peace and for the Grimm to stop attacking humans."

Ruby gave a relieved sigh, "That's good." Then an idea sparked. "Hey, if you don't mind, then I'd like to drop by sometimes. You know, to talk and stuff."

"Sure, I'll be happy to have the company."

Turning away, Ruby accompanied Azuna back to Vale. She had heard the loneliness in Serena's voice. She might enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest, but she could tell that the girl was lonely. So she wanted to be a good friend and visit her, so that she wasn't alone for too long. And she could also learn a lot from the older female, she was sure of that.

* * *

 **Edited 28/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	11. Chapter 11: Studying

**Chapter 11: Studying**

With the knowledge that she was still alive, Serena decided that she needed to learn more about the world she now lived in. She had to learn about their history and anything else that might be important. So she went down to back again and looked for a book store.

Luckily, she found one that had just what she needed, so she bought a book entitled "The Complete History of Remnant". Upon her question what Remnant was, the shopkeeper gave her a look before explaining that it was the name of the planet. She was sure he thought her stupid for not even knowing the name of her own planet. She spotted another book that had all known herbs and their uses enlisted as well, so she bought that one too. Finally she would be able to cook more various food, maybe even use them to heal wounds should she get injured.

She started with the book about Remnant's history. It was a marvelously beautiful book, several inches thick covered in red leather and pages smelling of parchment. It started by explaining that — although human origins were rather murky and no archaeological remains older than eight-thousand years were known to exist — it was known for a fact that humans in this world had been formed from "Dust", a sort of energy source that had a vast myriad of uses.

Humanity, however, was born into a dangerous and callous environment and almost succumbed to the Creatures of Grimm until they discovered (or rather, rediscovered) Dust and used it to create weapons. Thus, mankind could survive and thrive.

They built many large and prosperous cities, many of which rivaled Tokyo, Beijing and New York in terms of sheer size and population, but almost all of them got destroyed, some lasting only half a century before being wiped off the map.

Only four cities withstood and became home to most of the population. She learned that she was near one of those so-called "Beacons of Hope": a city called Vale, the capital of the Kingdom of Vale. The other three kingdoms were Mistral with its capital Mesda, Vacuo with its capital Valya, and Atlas with its capital Altara. All four kingdoms had two combat schools — one analogous to middle school and another to high school — that trained their students to become what were called Huntsmen and Huntresses.

 _Huntsmen? That name… I think Ruby mentioned it when she was here, but I forgot to ask her,_ Serena remembered, reading on curiously.

After learning some information about the government of the kingdoms (she was very relieved to find that the government of the four kingdoms operated similarly to Great Britain, with a moderately powerful monarch and council that acted similarly to Parliament. God only knows what would have happened to her if she had ended up in a world ruled by dictators...) and some other moderately important things, she finally saw what she was looking for.

"Huntsmen and Huntresses, as the name might suggest, are men and women trained at combat schools in order to protect the people of the world from the Grimm. Their duty is to slay the creatures that threaten the existence of mankind and uphold the peace of the world. While in training, they learn various things from basic combat to the use of Dust and their Aura in a battle. It is customary, though not mandatory, that every student chooses their own weapon or make one themselves," she read aloud.

 _Wow. So Ruby's actually a fighter. Figures since she had that giant scythe with her and wielded it like nothing,_ Serena thought, awed that the younger girl was a skilled warrior.

It took her an entire day to read about some other things when she suddenly got to a part that was titled "Other Races".

Interest piqued, she read it through and was surprised when she read that there were people called "Faunus" — humanoid people that possessed the physical traits of animal such as cat ears or a tail. While they had the same rights as humans on paper, many humans disregarded those rights, treating them as inferior beings. A group called the "White Fang" had created itself, and although at first peaceful, their demonstrations for Faunus rights became more and more violent to the point where they were now attacking supply depots, army bases, and other important places. They even went as far as murdering people to attain their goal.

Serena noted that their goal was actually a noble one: they wanted to be seen as equals to humans. She could understand and agree with that. What she could not ever agree with were the methods they used. Similar things had, of course, occurred in her world and it had never ended well for either of the involved parties. But she also wondered why they suddenly started to resort to such methods. If they had been protesting peacefully until just a few years ago, why did they start attacking now, and not right from the beginning? Something drastic must have happened that caused such a shift in ideals.

She read on, learning about the Grimm and their different species and about her current location — Forever Fall Forest — which contained a large majority of the Grimm in Vale. The forest was huge and covered the entire kingdom of Vale, except for the city of course. Serena learned the names of the Grimm and their abilities by heart, and when it was getting dark she was so tired that she didn't even want to eat anything. She just crawled into her bed and fell asleep, dreaming of Grimm and Faunus and all the other things she had read about.

The next day she continued with the book about all the different herbs and memorized each and every one of them, their shape, color, and what it could be used for. She went out and gathered some Satoshira — a pink flower that grew near water — riced and combined it with some water and olive oil that she had to cook, thus creating her own shampoo. She had used normal shampoo the past two weeks but since she didn't have a shower with a drain, she had to bathe in the pond behind her cave. She didn't want to pollute the water any more than necessary, so she was quite happy when she read that she could use this flower to make hygiene products such as shampoo. It had a nice fragrance and Serena was quite happy with the outcome. She could use that now instead of the chemically fabricated shampoo that she'd bought.

She tested it the next morning in her 'bathroom', though it was hardly fitting for that title. The pond was decent sized with a small waterfall flowing down on one side, and only a few bushes and trees hid her from curious eyes — though she doubted anyone would venture so deep into the forest. Surprisingly, the water that came down from the waterfall was cool, but the water in the pond was quite warm, allowing her muscles to relax after a hard day of training.

She figured that there had to be some kind of volcanic vent or geyser underneath it that heated the water as soon as it flowed into the pond. Another thing she had noticed was that there seemed to be a constant exchange of water. Whenever she had bathed, the water would be clean when she came back in the evening or during the day to get some of it to drink or cook with. The only logical explanation that she could come up with was that the pond was connected to some stream underground that led the water away.

She studied the herbs and history of Vale vigorously, and was fascinated by the people they called Faunus. She would never have imagined that they had people who possessed things like cat ears and monkey tails here in this world. She'd only seen such things on TV, but here people like that actually existed. She wondered what they were like, and if she would perhaps meet one someday. It would certainly be an interesting encounter.

She ended her thoughts when she went back to training and then, reading the book about the history of Remnant again and looking up some more herbs that she might use in her dinner tomorrow, she went to sleep like she usually did.

Her life may have not been as interesting as someone else's, but she had Ajax who always kept her company and slept while she studied, and she was quite content with things as they were.

Thing was, all of it was about to change abruptly in a few days. It was only a question if it was a good change or not.

* * *

 **Edited 29/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	12. Chapter 12: Breach

**CHapter 12: Breach**

"Hey, Loki! Give me back my clothes!"

A young blue-eyed woman was desperately chasing after a Beowolf, trying to get back her stolen clothing. It was "relax day" today, and Serena had decided to do some house chores like cleaning and dusting. Luckily, her phone was still working and it somehow didn't lose any of the power it had when she had died back on Earth. It was as if the battery had been frozen at its current level. She was very thankful for that since her phone was the only thing that still contained pictures and memories of her family. She had refreshed her bed, dusted the cave (while also getting rid of unwanted pests like insects and rodents), and washed her clothes while listening to her favorite music. She had hung the wet material up on some tree branches and her newest companion, a Beowolf she'd named Loki, had decided to steal her red jeans and hoodie and play catch.

She had met Loki a few days ago, together with the other Beowolves, and had quickly taken a liking to him as he did to her. She had given him the name Loki — after the Norse God of Mischief — because he liked to play pranks on her and just generally mess around. He was a young Grimm, not sporting any plates of bones or spikes on his body. She had learned after some more studying that the number of bones plates indicated the age of a Grimm. Now, she also knew that both Ajax and Napoleon had to be quite old, though Napoleon was still the older one, which was probably also the reason he was the leader of the pack.

"Come on, Loki. They can't dry if you get them all wet with your slobber. And you'll get them dirty too!"

In a final attempt at re-claiming her clothes, she jumped on the creature's back and held on to his neck, stretching a hand out to reach the jeans and hoodie that were being held captive by his teeth. With a huff and some more stretching, she finally reached them and pulled them back to her. She quickly got off his back and stuck her tongue out, receiving a snort and low growl that made her think he was laughing at her for her childish behavior.

"Yeah, well that's what you get for messing with my clothes," she retorted while walking inside her home and hung the clothes onto one of the lines that hung near the fire so that it could dry. She had bought more ropes in Vale and had fixed them all above or near the fire to grill or roast food, and to hang things onto. It came in handy quite a lot.

Suddenly, inexplicably so, she felt a heavy rush of anger and blood lust come crashing into her. She gasped from the sheer intensity of it. Bending over, she placed one hand on her knees while the other clutched at her shirt, just above her heart, eyes wide and breathing rapid. It was the first time she had ever felt so much anger and hatred in the air — it was as if she could slice through it with a butter knife. She felt like she was suffocating under the sheer pressure of it.

"W-What… What is this?" she choked out.

Loki suddenly elevated himself on his hind legs and began howling, calling other Grimm. She looked over to him and felt the same anger radiating off of him as well. Then she heard a shrill sound, chilling her to the bones, making goosebumps appear on her arms. She identified the noise as sirens and wondered where it came from. Concentrating, she traced the rush of anger back and realized that a massive amount of Grimm where in the middle of the city.

"What's going on? They aren't supposed to be there!" she exclaimed, worried beyond belief.

The sirens were drowned out by faint explosions coming from the city she frequently visited. Grabbing her spear and black cloak, she quickly stuck her weapon in-between her belt and pants, then put on her cloak and pulled on the hood so that it hid most of her face.

She rushed to the border of the forest, spotting a giant cloud of smoke rising from the center of town. She quickly descended the hill and ran towards the chaos, avoiding the hundreds of terrified citizens that were running about in a frenzy. It was just when she reached the main street that she caught sight of an Ursa about to attack a mother with her two daughters. She quickly ran over to them, calling to the Grimm, stopping him mid-strike.

"Stop! Don't hurt these people!" she pleaded, stopping in front of the small family in order to shield them with her own body, should the creature not listen. The Ursa hesitated a few moments before listening and going off to find new prey, leaving Serena behind with the frightened citizens. Sighing in relief, she turned around and crouched down in front of them. She gently lay her hand on the mother's shoulder, making her look up at her with tear filled eyes.

"It's okay, ma'am. You and your daughters are safe now. But you have get away from here for now. Hide somewhere on the borders of the city. They won't attack you there," she spoke in a calm and soothing but authoritative voice.

"Th-Thank you, miss. Thank you so much," the woman stammered.

"It's no problem. You should go now, before they come back."

The mother nodded once, then quickly grabbed her two daughters by their hands and dragged them away, the children still so shocked that they following her without question. Serena looked after them for a few moments, making sure they would not be attacked again and, when they had turned the corner, she turned around and continued her way to the center of town where most Grimm were gathered.

Arriving, she could see that some kids were already fighting the creatures, killing them without hesitation. She cringed when she saw how a red-haired girl stabbed a Boarbatusk right through its mouth, killing it instantly. Amongst all the chaos, she spotted a familiar figure wielding a scythe and quickly recognized Ruby. Running over to her, she stopped a Beowolf from attacking the girl from behind, telling it to return to the forest.

"Ruby!" she called to her friend, making the latter whirl around.

"Serena! Oh, it's so good that you're here! We really need your help right now!" Ruby replied while slaying another Grimm to her left, making Serena cringe yet again.

"What happened?"

"I don't know! We found this White Fang base underground and Torchwick was there and then he caught me, and when my friends arrived he started a train and we tried to stop it, but then he set off bombs that created holes for the Grimm, and when we crashed the next thing I know is that we're in the middle of Vale and Grimm are creeping out!" she explained in one breath, and it was hard for Serena to follow her but she got most of it.

"So that monster set off bombs to lead the Grimm here?" she summarized in one sentence, growing angry that somebody would do such a thing.

"Yeah, exactly. And now we gotta fight them or they'll destroy the whole city and kill everyone!"

"Maybe not," the black-haired girl murmured to herself, but Ruby caught it nonetheless.

"What do you mean 'maybe not'? There's no other way!" she argued, firing off her gun at yet another Grimm.

"Have you seen a giant snake around here? You know, big, one half white, the other black?"

"Yeah, but why do you need to know?" the Huntress asked, puzzled why the girl would need to know that now.

"Tell me where you've seen it," Serena demanded while keeping a Beowolf from attacking, sending it back to the forest like the previous ones. She didn't want them to be killed –– even if they themselves would not hesitate to kill had she not the powers she did.

"It's over there," Ruby said, pointing over to another road from where there came a cacophony of howls and cries.

"Thanks!"

Serena dashed over to the street Ruby had pointed out. What she came upon was a giant, black-and-white snake with red glowing eyes and large fangs. She walked over to it and gently laid her hand on its scales. The animal was about to kill her when she held up a hand and let it sniff her. It seemed to accept her like the others had and lowered its head so that it was level with Serena's.

 _So this is a King Taijitu. What a beautiful creature._

She was momentarily caught in thought before she reminded herself of the situation at hand.

Bending over, she spoke to it while looking it in the eye. "Please, you have to leave. You have to tell all of the others to stop attacking and go back to the forest. You will all die if you stay here," she pleaded with the animal. It seemed to take her advice as it roared once. All the Grimm in the city stopped fighting and abruptly started retreating, leaving the students and what she presumed to be the military that had arrived only moments ago in a state of confusion.

"Thank you. You should go back as well. This isn't your world." The Grimm nuzzled her head once and then disappeared through the hole that had been created by the explosion, its white half trailing behind it.  
Serena went back over to Ruby who stood alone. "I hope there weren't too many casualties," she quietly asked, surprising the younger girl.

"Oh, don't worry about it. But thank God you were here. This could have turned into an all out war," Ruby thanked her.

"It was no problem, but I should leave now. I don't want the military to find out about me. Just act like I was never here, okay?" Serena asked, pulling her hood further over her face so that it was concealed in shadows. Ruby nodded, understanding her concern and then turned around when she heard Yang calling for her. Serena chose this moment to disappear and ran back to the forest, luckily remaining unnoticed by any of the soldiers.

"Hey, Ruby! Who was that?" Yang questioned as she walked up to her sister, Blake and Weiss in tow.

"Yeah. I've never seen that person around. And why was he wearing a cloak?" Weiss added, suspicious.

"You guys won't believe what I tell you…" Ruby started, plunging into the story. She knew Serena had told her to keep her a secret, but she could trust her team with this information.

* * *

The day ended well. The Grimm had disappeared without killing anyone (though quite a few had to be hospitalized) and Roman Torchwick was arrested shortly after. The four Beacon students were intently listening to their young team leader, and everyone else was just happy that they had somehow managed to survive such a large and apparently organized attack.

But a short distance away, on a cliff that overlooked Vale, two women and a young man were discussing their further advances.

"All in all, despite some… unexpected setbacks, I call today a success," Cinder Fall said, pleased with how the situation had turned out.

"Those stupid kids really made a mess out of things," the green-haired girl named Emerald voiced. "What I don't get is why all of the Grimm retreated so suddenly. I mean, that's totally unlike them to stop attacking."

"Simply another thing we'll have to investigate with the new resources we and our White Fang allies are about to gain," Cinder said, waving it off.

"Yeah, about that... A lot of Faunus didn't make it out of those tunnels. Like, hundreds of them were killed. You still think the White Fang's gonna listen to us?" Emerald's partner Mercury asked.

Instead of answering, Cinder simply glanced behind her loyal lapdogs to the man that neither had heard nor seen approaching and let him answer instead.

"No," a young man with reddish-brown hair and signature Grimm mask spoke, stepping up to the group. "But they'll listen to me."

* * *

 **Edited 29/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	13. Chapter 13: Legend

**Chapter 13: Legend**

Three months had passed since the Grimm attack on Vale. There had been substantial damage to the city, but fortunately no one had died. Rebuilding was the main worry of the government, and they recruited civilian volunteers to help with the damage, as a way to help encourage unity through hardship among the citizens.

Coincidentally, it was in those three months that rumors started to spread. People talked of a mythical person or creature that held the power to control Grimm. Some said the person had been raised by Grimm themselves, while others claimed that the person hailed from a yet unknown kingdom. Some asserted that the person was a man capable of killing a Grimm with but a flick of the wrist, others thinking it to be a woman with glowing red eyes and teeth sharp as fangs.

And thus, the legend of the Grimm Tamer was born.

It was during one of her seldom shopping tours that Serena first caught wind of it.

The weather had warmed up over time and so she had to buy some more tops and pants to match the climate. Lucky for her, she did not need new boots — her green combat boots somehow adapted to the climate, no matter if it was freezing or hot outside. She was quietly browsing through a rack of pants (choosing a black, Gray, and red one) when she heard the shopkeeper whispering to another customer.

"It must be some hideous monster," the shopkeeper said, keeping her voice low so that no one except the woman opposite her would hear.

"No, I believe it to be a man. This person wields a great power; naturally it would have to be a male."

Serena had to smile to herself at the ridiculous assumptions of both women, inwardly laughing at the romanticized version of a superhero that one of them was thinking about.

She quickly grabbed the few tops and pants she had and walked up to the counter before stopping in front of a shelf that held different socks and other garments. She pondered for a moment before grabbing two pairs of black and deep red over-knees that she could wear with the hot pants. When she walked up to the counter, both women quickly ended their conversation. Serena paid for the clothes and exited the shop, the gossiping already continuing behind her back.

Most of the damages had been repaired over the past quarter year, but there were still traces of the attack that was still fresh in everyone's mind. She slowly walked around town, grasping parts of sentences that mentioned the Grimm Tamer.

"…and then he just told them to leave and…"

"…she saved a mother with her children without even…"

"…wonder what she looks like…"

"…nobody knows if it's a girl. It could also…"

On and on they went, speculating about what the Grimm Tamer looked like, if it was a he or a she, if she was single…

When Serena was finally out of the city and back in her quiet forest, she had to laugh at all the inane theories that coursed about her person. Never before had people talked so much about her, and the best part was that they didn't even know that she was walking among them, right in their midst.

But she was glad that no one had spotted her during the attack. She had tried to avoid the military. She preferred not testing their reaction to a person that could control Grimm and be a possible threat to national security. No, she stayed in the shadows, hidden from curious eyes. She liked the forest better, anyway. It was far more peaceful than the bustling city and she could do whatever she wanted without troubling anyone. She protected the city and its people from afar, making sure that no one would be attacked that had somehow stumbled into the forest.

Reaching her home, she put the new garments away and took off her cloak. It was hot with it on, but it hid her primary weapon, namely her retractable spear that was strapped to her thigh. She had bought a special sheath into which she could put it when going out. It was just two strings of brown leather with a loop into which the weapon was slid that were strapped around the middle of her thigh, keeping it in place and allowing her to have it with her without it hindering her in any way. She had also bought a sheath that could be attached to her forearm and which held the weapon on the inside of it, though she rarely used it. But if she ever needed it, then she could use it instead of the other one.

"Hey, Serena," a voice startled her from behind. Quickly grasping her staff, she whirled around and settled into a fighting position, arms raised, feet apart, slightly crouched and eyes narrowed, glaring at whoever had found her home. "Whoa, relax! It's just me."

"Oh, Ruby," Serena breathed out upon recognizing her frequent visitor. "I'm sorry, but you shouldn't do that. I'm not really used to your visits yet," she scolded the girl mildly, lowering her weapon and standing up straight, relaxing her tensed muscles.

Ruby gave a sheepish smile and scratched the back of her head, walking over to her friend. "Sorry, I always forget."

"It's okay, just don't do it too often or I might hurt on you accident one day," Serena replied.

Ruby had kept her promise and visited her once or twice a week ever since the attack had transpired. Serena welcomed the change in her daily routine and enjoyed talking with the younger girl about her school and teammates, but also about the Grimm and what they had to expect after that attack.

During that time, the blue-eyed girl had taught Ruby a lot about Grimm, as well as introduced her to Ajax. Both had become friends quite easily and the Ursa no longer growled whenever the Huntress neared Serena's home. Instead, he gave her a gentle nuzzle and a lick of the face before letting her pass. To Serena's surprise, Ruby did not mind the slobber being rubbed onto her face, and she could see that she was slowly starting to like Ajax, and even Loki who joined them sometimes.

"Come on in. I've got some tea if you want," the older girl offered while walking on ahead to the fire that was still burning, although now diminished to a moderate flame since it had become so warm.

"I'm good," Ruby replied, plopping down on one of the stone seats that surrounded the fireplace. Serena nodded, quickly pouring herself a cup of tea before sitting down opposite of Ruby.

"I was in the city today," Serena started after taking a few sips. "And I heard some interesting rumors. About someone called the Grimm Tamer. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"O-Oh. Really?" Ruby squeaked out, trying to avoid the older girl's eyes that seemed to bore into her own silver ones right then.

"You told someone about me, didn't you." It wasn't a question, but it wasn't quite an accusation either.

"I…" Ruby tried to find an explanation, but nothing came to mind. Sighing in defeat she admitted, "Yes, I did. But I only told my teammates and they promised to keep it a secret."

"I guess that someone heard you talking, because I heard the whole city gossiping about me today when I was in town."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told them," Ruby apologized, hanging her head in shame.

"Look, I'm not angry with you or anything. I'm just a little worried now. You know why I live out here; I'm afraid what people will do once they find out that I can pacify Grimm. They aren't ready to find out about me just yet," she calmly explained, giving the girl a compassionate look and sipping some more of her tea.

"I know. But what if they weren't afraid of you? I mean, you saved a lot of people back then. Maybe they'll actually think of you as a hero," Ruby offered hopefully.

"I don't think so," Serena objected, deflating Ruby's hope instantly. "They're scared to death of the Grimm. Think of their reactions when they find out there is a human out here that can actually control them. Alone the concept of me liking them would be too much for the people to take. I would be a monster or abomination in their eyes," she voiced softly, sadly. "The military would almost certainly arrest me and maybe even keep me to themselves. I don't know much about this world, but it's always the same with these things no matter where you are or come from. I will show myself one day, but not just yet," she concluded, leaving no room for debate.

There was silence after that, Ruby not daring to say anything more. She had already broken her friend's trust when she'd told her teammates about the girl. Now, not only did they know, but also the entire city, and if it went on like that, then it was only a matter of time until the military and other kingdoms heard of it. She knew Serena was right; the military might be there to protect them, but even Ruby didn't know what the likes of General Ironwood would do with Serena if they found out about her and her power.

She was right; the people would see her as a monster and treat her as such. They would lock her away. And this she could not bear to imagine.

"Anyway, has there been anything new concerning the incident three months ago?" Serena asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence and jerking Ruby out of her guilty thoughts.

"Not yet. Torchwick's still under arrest, but as far as I know he hasn't said a word yet."

"Hmm… I really wanna know what he wanted to accomplish by letting Grimm into the city," the ravenette uttered, agonizing over the possible motives the criminal could have had.

"I don't know, but as far as I see it, he's not right in the head. He always calls me that weird nickname, and it didn't seem like he was disappointed when he got caught. He seemed almost... happy about it," Ruby replied, frowning at the strange behavior the criminal had shown when he'd been caught by Mercury and Emerald who had handed him over to General Ironwood.

"Maybe this is only one piece of the puzzle. We might not be seeing the entire picture yet," Serena mumbled almost to herself, Ruby catching her words. This sparked a thought in the younger girl's mind.

"Now that you mention it… Back then, I got caught before the train started. When my team arrived, he told one of the Faunus to start the engine. But they said that they hadn't finished," she pointed out, eyes lighting up in revelation. "It was as if he hadn't planned the attack to be so early, but since we found their hideout he had to advance in his plans."

"I think this was only the beginning. There is be something far bigger to come in the future. Only when?"

Neither of the two had an answer to that, but they continued talking about the incident, the possible perpetrators and so on until late evening. When it started to get dark, Ruby had to return to Beacon. Both said their goodbyes and Ruby left, Ajax accompanying her as her bodyguard.

Serena quietly ate her dinner — herbs and meat — before going to sleep. But all the while, she couldn't stop thinking about their conversation.

 _Just what are you up to Torchwick? What is it that's going to come at us?_

So many unanswered questions.

* * *

 **Edited 29/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	14. Chapter 14: Mission

**Chapter 14: Mission**

There was nothing to do again. Adam strolled along the hallways of the White Fang Headquarters, encountering several other members on his way, but never once stopping to indulge in idle chit-chat or anything of the likes. He was not that kind of person, plus he wasn't in the mood to do so anyways. He hated situations like this: it was calm and there was nothing to do. He could go spar or train or with another member, but he didn't really want to. So he resulted to strolling around the place in order to escape this boredom, no destination in mind except his room perhaps.

The White Fang HQ was one massive compound beneath Forever Fall Forest, just a short distance from Vale. It resembled a hangar but contained multiple rooms and hallways, and was divided into three separate floors, all hidden perfectly from view. The ground floor held the barracks for the 'normal' Faunus infantry and the prisoner cells in case they ever had an unwanted guest. It was also home to the cargo bay where the Bullheads and the stolen Atlesian Paladin-290s were parked.

The first floor accommodated the lodgings of the high-ranking officials — like himself — as well as the sparring and training rooms. It also contained a kitchen that could be used by the higher agents — a luxury the lower members didn't have. They had to go to the mess hall and get their food themselves, whereas Adam and the others could cook whatever and whenever they pleased.

The third and lowest floor — the most secure of them all — was where Spike Desde, the leader of the White Fang lived, along with those humans they had formed an alliance with not too long ago. Fortunately, the humans didn't stay very often, leaving the whole floor mostly to Spike. It also held a meeting and situation room with computers and the likes where they would get instructions on missions.

Having found his way back to his room, Adam seated himself on his bed and took out his sword and rifle-sheath Wilt and Blush, and began polishing the blade of the former meticulously. He really had nothing better to do, so he decided that he might as well take care of his weapon.

While polishing the blade until it shined, he reminisced about his time with Blake as his partner. She had always been around him, so he had never really gotten bored. They had trained together, or she had read one of her questionable books while he had taken care of his weapon like he was doing now — but she had always been there. But now that she'd left over six months ago, things had started to get dull. He couldn't spar with anyone: all the other high-ranking members were away on missions and the other Faunus were too weak. It was neither fun nor actual training fighting with them.

An abrupt knock on his door interrupted his train of thoughts. Carefully laying the sword on his bed, he got up and opened the door to be greeted by a lower ranked Faunus dressed in the standard uniform. The man bowed swiftly in respect before speaking up.

"The leader wants to see you, sir. He says he has an exceptionally important mission for you. He's waiting in room 301."

The Faunus was facing straight ahead, but Adam knew that he was probably looking at the floor. The mask did hide his eyes, but no low-ranking member ever dared to look him in the eye, except of course for his previous partner. They were all too afraid of him.

"Tell him I'll be there in a minute," Adam responded, closing the door when the man bowed again and left to deliver the message. Finally! Now he could get out and do something productive instead of sitting around. Adam loved being outside and fighting far more than being cooped up in a building with hundreds of other people and doing exactly nothing.

Putting on his signature black trench coat, he sheathed his sword and exited the room. The hallways were bustling with Faunus and he heard some of them talking about the new rumor that had been spreading lately. Though he never really listened, he'd heard that it was something about some man or woman that could supposedly control Grimm — not that he actually believed such rubbish.

When he got to the meeting room, he knocked once and waited for the sign to enter. "Come in," came a muffled voice from inside.

Adam opened the door and closed it behind him, bowing in front of Spike when he turned around. "I was told you had a mission for me," he said matter-of-fact, standing straight again.

"Yes, I do. Come and sit, there is still another that has to come before I can give you the details."

Spike Desde — a buffalo Faunus with large horns protruding from the top of his head — was not noticeably tall or strong, but the man knew how to manipulate people and had taken over the White Fang five years ago, leading their forces to where it was now.

He had a radically different view on things and always said that, in order for Faunus to gain their well-deserved rights, they had to fight for them and show the humans that they were not to be toyed with. True to his word, their methods had grown to be much more violent and no longer did they hesitate to kill a human should they hinder the attainment of their goal.

The man was ruling the organization with an iron fist, and did not like it when something went wrong on any of the members' missions. That was also why he had been livid when Adam had told him about Blake's betrayal and ordered everyone to kill the traitor the next time they saw her.

Adam took his place in one of the many chairs that surrounded the table and noticed the presence of another Faunus, who was leaning on the wall opposite of him. He, too, was wearing the standard uniform, indicating he was one of the lower-ranked members, but he had a certain cockiness and poise that made it look as if he was really a high-ranked one. The man looked strong with defined muscles on his arms and was tall, almost as tall as Adam.

He acknowledged the red-haired Faunus with a nod of his head and then looked over at the door when it knocked again. Another lower-ranked Faunus stepped inside and quickly bowed and nodded, greeting all the people inside. This man had an average build and was the smallest of the three members gathered.

"Now that you're all here, I will give you the details to your mission," Spike began, pulling up a footage of a military base located at the edge of the forest. "This is the new base that has been established by General Ironwood and the Atlesian military. It lies at the border between Atlas and Vale, at the edge of the forest. There are approximately two-hundred and fifty soldiers and an equal number of Atlesian Knight-200s stationed at the moment," he listed.

"This is the hangar…" He pointed at a large building in the middle of the base. "…that holds seventy-five airships and forty Paladin-290s, as well as twenty Spider Droids. Your mission will be to infiltrate this base and destroy it from the inside. For our plan to work in the future, we need this base off the map so as to weaken Ironwood's forces. You will go inside, destroy all the machines and weaponry, and get back out. It would be best if you avoid being seen until you have completed the mission, but if anyone sees you, kill them. Any questions?"

"So, in short: get in, destroy, get out. Is that about right?" the muscular Faunus asked. Adam got a little annoyed by the question; the instructions had been clear, so why ask?

"Exactly Eric," Spike answered. "Anyone else?"

The room was quiet and it seemed like everyone knew what to do. Nodding in content, Spike told them to get ready to leave by sunrise tomorrow. They exited the meeting room and everyone went to their quarters, preparing to leave by the assigned time.

* * *

 **Edited 31/12/2016**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	15. Chapter 15: Ambush

**Chapter 15: Ambush**

Their trip to the military base was mostly silent, except for the two idiots who were bickering about that stupid rumor. Although it would be best to be silent, the two — Eric and Steve — continued to argue about the Grimm Tamer that was allegedly living in Forever Fall Forest — the forest they were currently traveling through. Adam didn't know how, but somehow the two morons still had enough energy and oxygen to waste for their arguments even though they were running through at top speed. When they finally crossed the line, he snapped at them.

"Shut up you two!"

Both Faunus went silent for a moment before involving him in their little discussion, asking his opinion on the subject of that stupid myth and so on.

"You too think it's a man, right? I mean, it has to be," Eric asked, running up to him.

"Why the hell does it have to be a man?! It could also be a woman, damn it!" Steve retorted, also running up to the two.

"Why would it be a woman? Men are far stronger, so of course a man would have such a rare power. A woman wouldn't even know what to do with it," Eric retorted, glaring at the other Faunus, both now engaged in a heated glaring contest.

"A woman would be far better. Imagine it; a cute girl with-"

"Would you just shut up?! We are almost there so shut your mouths and keep quiet. I don't need you two to blow our cover before we can even get started with the mission!" Adam cut the man off, finally silencing the two who thought it better to obey than lose their heads. They knew about his reputation as an excellent fighter and a merciless killer. They didn't know if he would also attack one of his own, but how did the proverb go: let sleeping dogs lie.  
It was quiet from the on before they finally reached the hill behind which the military base was located. The group slowed down and, crouching, went up the hill and looked over it, scanning the base. It looked just like in the footage that they had seen the other day. They could use the hill to slide down and jump over the fence that encircled the compound.

"You know what to do, right?" Adam asked in a hushed tone, looking to his two companions as they each nodded.  
He nodded back and, quickly standing up and jumping down, he slid over the ground, whirling up leaves and dust. Eric and Steve followed closely behind, also sliding down the hill without a sound. Pushing himself off, Adam twisted in the air before landing on his feet on the other side of the fence. He immediately took cover behind one of the many hangars, looking over to see the two others do the same. With a final nod, they split up, each making his way to the hangar that held their targets. It was easier moving alone than in a group and lessened the possibility of being spotted.

Silently taking out one of the soldiers stationed to guard the entrance to the hangar, the red head pushed the doors open and closed them again. Turning around, he had to admit that the military had been busy. The room was filled with Paladin-290s, Bullheads and Knight-200s, the latter being in shut down mode. Adam went to work, damaging the machines so that they could no longer be of use by cutting cables and whatnot. Eric and Steve were doing the same and within twenty minutes they were finished.

"Good. Now we can-"

"Intruders! Alarm the general! We have intruders in sector B!"

Within seconds the shrill sound of the alarm was blaring and soldiers were rushing to the hangar, pointing their weapons at the three men who did nothing but stand there.

"Lower your weapons and put your hands behind your head!" a soldier with his pistol trained on Eric said. But neither man did as told and after the soldier had repeated his demand, every soldier pulled back the safety on their weapons, showing the Faunus that they were going to shoot if they did not oblige to their commands.

"I will only repeat myself once; lower your weapons and put your hands behind your head!"

Again none of the three reacted and that's when the soldier gave the signal.

"Fire!"

Every man shot but when they were finished, the three Faunus were still standing, not a scratch on them.

"What the-"

The man never finished his sentence. A bullet shot right through his torso, spilling blood and killing the soldier. The other soldiers looked in horror at their fallen comrade before Adam was upon them. With unmatched speed he sliced through man after man. Eric and Steve joined in the massacre, using their respective weapons — knives and fists — to take out the enemy. Neither showed mercy, drenching the hall in blood and the smell of death.

Running out of the hangar, they took out any opposition. Using an attacking Paladin as support, they jumped into the watchtower, killing the guards before leaping over the fence. They were a mere blur as they ran through the forest, alarms growing faint in the distance. Eric suddenly halted, stumbling and hissing in pain. The rest of the team halted, and Adam was about to tell him to keep going until he saw the dark spot on Eric's pants.

"Damn it, the bastards got me," he hissed, clutching his thigh. Steve was quick to go over and support the man, but he too had been hit by a bullet, the wound only now showing through his white vest.

Adam growled in aggravation. _Great. Now I've got two wounded men in the middle of the forest with the only help being the military on our tails._

He brooded about their possibilities when an eerie howl interrupted his train of thought. Instinctively, his muscles tensed and his hand gripped the hilt of his sword. It sounded again before numerous glowing red eyes closed in on them. He gritted his teeth; he did not need this right now. The Grimm closed in and when they were all visible, he could count at least two dozen of them, all Ursas with some Beowolves mixed in.

He looked over to his two men and saw that they, too, had noticed the Grimm. Each man had by now taken up a fighting stance, although Eric was supporting himself mostly on his left leg and Steve was clutching his side, blood dripping from both of their wounds. There was no way they could fight for long with those kind of injuries. Plus, Adam could not fight and protect them at the same time.

Then the Grimm lunged at them. They each tried to defend themselves as best as they could, using their weapons to the best of their ability. Eric was the first to cry out in pain — a Grimm had managed to come up from behind him and slashed across his back, blood dripping freely from the deep wound.

Steve was next. A Beowolf bit into his upper arm, tearing the flesh from the bone. The man cried out in agony, feeling the beast pull his arm to the point where it was almost ripped off.

Distracted by this, an Ursa took the chance and slashed Adam across the chest. He grunted as the flesh was being shred apart, creating a large gash that stretched from his left shoulder down to just above his right hip. Curiously enough, he was more annoyed by the fact that his shirt and beloved trench-coat were being ruined in the process. He staggered back from the sheer force of the attack, vision already blurring.

Another Ursa attacked him and although he managed to kill it, the sudden loss of blood finally took its toll on him. He staggered back a few more feet before his legs finally gave out underneath him and he sunk onto his knees, falling face first onto the ground. He briefly registered a dull pain in his head and figured that he'd probably hit it on something. Everything became a haze and his vision began closing in on the sides.

He could see the paws of an Ursa not far from him and watched as they approached him. But no matter how many times he told himself to get up, his body just wouldn't move.

The monster was now directly in front of him and he could imagine it raising its claws to deal the finishing blow. The last thing he heard was the caw of a Nevermore and a dull thud, as if something had fallen onto the ground. His eyes closed and he succumbed to darkness, but not before hearing a voice.

A female voice.

"Ajax, don't!"

* * *

 **Edited 13/01/2017**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	16. Chapter 16: Unexpected

**Chapter 16: Unexpected**

Serena laughed, thrilled at the feeling of the wind combing through her cut hair. She had called Aeolus earlier that day and asked him if he were up for a little tour. The Nevermore was not one to say no, and so they were both high up in the sky, exploring the boundaries of the forest and what lay behind them.

All of a sudden, Serena felt a wave of blood-lust rush over her. It wasn't as strong as back when Vale had been under attack, but it was still alarming. Her first thought was that another attack on the city was taking place, but once she'd tracked the source of the rush, she noticed that it was only a small group of Grimm, all concentrated on a clearing not too far away from her current position.

Telling Aeolus to take her there so that she could see what was wrong, she spotted three figures among the group, all three lying motionless on the ground. She told the bird to land and jumped down when it was still slightly airborne, not wanting to waste any time. She arrived just at the right moment, seeing as Ajax was about to kill a man that was lying in front of him. Running as fast as she could, she yelled, "Ajax, don't!"

The animal froze mid-strike, his head turning to look at her with confused eyes, not understanding what he'd done wrong. She dropped to her knees next to the male and was relived upon noting that he was still breathing, although passed out.

She quickly checked the other two that were lying a few feet away. They were dead. She felt guilt well up inside her — if only she'd seen this earlier then they could still be alive.

She looked back to the man that was still alive and then turned to the group of Grimm, spotting Napoleon among them.

"Napoleon, please tell them to go home. There is no need to kill this man. I will take care of him. Please, let him live," she pleaded with the animal, hoping he would agree to her offer. The Ursa gave a short snort, then he turned around and left, the others all following him except for Ajax.

Serena leaned over the stranger again, examining his back for any wounds. He had none except for a laceration on the side of his head which he had most likely gotten when he'd fallen down. Grunting, she turned him over onto his back, gasping as she caught sight of the deep wound that stretched across his torso. His shirt and jacket were torn and soaked with blood, as was the ground he'd been lying on. She quickly took off the light jacket she was wearing, using it as a temporary bandage to tie around his wound to try to stop the bleeding. She made sure that it wasn't too tight or too lose, not wanting to irritate the wound any further.

 _I have to get him home,_ she thought, eyes darting worriedly over his mangled body. She could treat him there, she had all the necessary equipment. The problem was, there was no way she would be able to drag him there. He was too heavy and tall for her; she wouldn't be able to sustain his body weight for long.

Looking to her Ursa friend, an idea sparked in her mind, though it might be a dangerous one.

"Ajax, could you do me a favor?" The animal snorted in response and got closer to her, signaling that he would assist her. "I need you to take him home. I'll put him on your back so that you can carry him. In the meantime, I'll quickly fly to the city with Aeolus. Could you do this for me?" _Without killing him,_ she added in her mind. "You don't need to do anything, just carry him home, okay? I'll get back as fast as possible."

The animal was silent for a few moments before giving a low growl then nudged her arm — he would help her. Serena smiled at her friend. Standing up, she returned to the man's side and slung his right arm over her shoulder, heaving him up with her other arm. With quite some effort and help from Ajax, she finally managed to make the man stand up, his body slumped against her side. Wasting no time, she signaled for Ajax to lie down and — with a string of curses — she managed to heave him atop the animal's back, positioned between the spikes and plates of bone so that he would not slip off. His front was pressed against the animal's back and she hoped it would help in stagnating the loss of blood at least a little.

"Thank you. I'll meet you back home," she called while clambering back onto Aeolus' back, both Grimm getting on their way.

She had no time to waste. So, instead of landing outside the city and going the rest of the way by foot like she usually did, she told the animal to land right in front of the next pharmacy. Chaos ensued as soon as people saw the Grimm closing in on the city, citizens running away and hiding in panic, fearing another attack. Imagine their shock and surprise when they saw a girl jump off the creature, dashing into the pharmacy.

Serena slammed the door open making the owner jump out of fright. "I need alcohol or something to disinfect a wound, and lots of bandages. Hurry!" she demanded.

The man — terrified of not only the creature outside his shop but also of the girl inside of it — scurried into a back room and came out moments later with a bottle of strong alcohol and dozen of bandages. He nervously put everything into a bag and handed it over with trembling hands, hiding behind the counter as soon as he'd let go of it. Serena left some money on the counter before storming out of the shop again. Swiftly mounting Aeolus, she could already hear the police sirens closing in on them. Without another glance they were gone again, leaving the people back in shock.

The sky started turning a pink hue when she got back. Ajax was already there and waiting inside with the man still hunched on his back. Serena dropped the bag on one of the stones before hurrying over to her friend, helping him get the man off his back and gently lay him down on her bed. Her jacket was soaked through with blood by now, and she mentally made a note to buy a new one before returning her concentration to the task at hand again.

Carefully taking off the man's coat, she dropped it a few feet away on another rock before moving to his shirt. It was already torn and the best way to remove it would be to simply cut the material in half. Going to look for her scissors, she returned moments later and immediately cut through the fabric, also removing his mask in the process since she'd need to take care of his head wound later.

There were a few bruises on his chest, but her primary concern was the large gash that went over it. The first step would be to disinfect it to make sure it wouldn't get infected. She applied the alcohol onto a cotton pad and began dabbing around the edges. After that, she moved to the wound itself and received a few hisses and pained grunts in response as the alcohol made contact with the torn skin. She was glad that he wasn't conscious; she wouldn't be able to hold him down if he was.

When she finished, she debated on whether or not she should sew it but quickly decided against it. The wound was too big, the edges too shredded, and she had no idea on how to really sew one. She decided that the only thing she could do was to bandage it and later apply some salve when the wound had stopped bleeding.

She went over to her first aid kid and took out a role of bandages, asking herself just how she would bandage the wound if she couldn't move him alone. Looking at the entrance of the cave, she saw that Ajax was still there and called him over. With his help, she managed to make the man sit up. While Ajax kept him in that position by stabilizing him with his head, Serena bandaged the wound, tying it off nicely.

She proceeded by taking a look at the injury on his head. Luckily, it was not too severe and a normal bandage would do, so she took another role of bandages and tied them across his forehead. Only now did she notice the horns that protruded from his head. She hadn't seen them before and they blended in well with his red and brown hair, so she might not have noticed them at all if it weren't for the injury.

 _So he's a Faunus,_ she noted curiously.

Once done, she sighed in relief and she told Ajax that he could let the man go now. Serena gently lowered him onto her bed again, pulling her blankets over his upper body to prevent him from getting cold. She didn't need him catching a fever as well.

She tiredly wiped the sweat from her forehead, only now spotting the blood that stained her hands. She asked Ajax to watch the man while she went outside to wash her hands, scrubbing the drying blood off them in the pond. When she came back, the man was still sleeping and so she went to making her dinner, sitting close to him while eating to make sure everything was okay.

 _I never would have thought that I would save someone's life one day. This world really is crazy. Though I still wonder how or why he even got here in the first place,_ she pondered, chewing on a piece of meat. _But still, I wonder what will happen from now on._ She ate her dinner in silence, sleeping on the floor that night. Good thing that she kept several spare duvets, pillows and blankets so she had quickly made herself a new bed.

* * *

 **Edited 30/10/2017**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	17. Chapter 17: Fever

**Chapter 17: Fever**

He was having a fever. A day had passed since Serena had found the stranger in the forest and treated his wounds. No matter the precautions she had taken, he was burning up now and she figured that the wound probably had infected itself after all. And a fever was the only way for his body to get rid of it. She did all she could to help his body in its fight: she refreshed the cold cloths on his forehead, brewed tea with special herbs she knew had medical properties, and changed his bandages as often as possible.

She could count the times he was regaining consciousness on one hand, and they were often only brief. Mostly he would croak out a sound and she would give him something to drink, no food though. She wasn't sure if it would be wise to give him substantial nutriment just yet, especially not when he fell unconscious again shortly after having woken up. She didn't want her patient to survive the attack and wound and then die because he chocked on a piece of bread.

While he was out, she sometimes left to go hunting, although she would mostly just go catch some fish and not meat — she didn't want to be away for too long in case something should happen. You never knew with fever induced people. She remembered the one time she had almost burned down her kitchen back at university when she'd been home sick with fever. Lucky thing her best friend Janine had decided to check up on her in that moment because else, she would have to be looking for a new flat.

Whenever she did go out, she left Ajax behind with the Faunus, telling the Grimm to come get her as soon as something seemed off. He hadn't left her side since the previous day and she figured that he was worried about her being alone with a stranger. She was touched by her friend's concern, although she doubted that the man would be able to do anything at the moment with his injury.

When she was home, she would pass her time pondering the mask he'd been wearing the day she found him. She wondered if it held any meaning and what it was made of. It looked like plastic to her, but didn't feel like it at all. She ran her thumb over the red lines that swirled around the visor and across the mask.

She wondered about her guest's identity. Why would he be out here in the forest, accompanied by two other Faunus and fighting Grimm? Not to mention that the two other had matching outfits and the same type of mask as he did. Add the fact that each of them were wounded…

She had a theory that the three could be members of the White Fang, but it was only that — a theory. She didn't want to judge anyone without having heard their side of the story. She would wait until he was awake and then ask.

A pained grunt caught her attention and she turned her head to her guest, eyes widening as she saw him trying to sit up. Stashing the mask away, she rushed to his side and, gently grabbing his shoulders, pushed him back onto the bed. He wasn't yet ready to move and any kind of strain on his injury could deepen the wound.

He reluctantly laid back and she saw his lips forming words, but no sound escaped them. She grabbed the cup of tea that was standing on a rock beside her and gently lifted his head a little, lifting the cup to his lips. The sudden touch made him retreat, but she told him to drink it and he did, too tired to even try and refuse it. He lost consciousness soon afterwards and Serena went back to the fire, sitting in front of it and pondering on what to do.

* * *

He was hot. His entire body felt as though it were aflame, and he could tell he had a fever. Everything around him was dark and silent. He briefly wondered if he'd died in the battle with the Grimm.

Then he felt something cold and wet land on his forehead. He forced his eyes open and caught the contours of retreating hands before his sight blurred once more and he faded out of consciousness.

He thought it pathetic, the way he was so helpless and weak, not even able to stay awake for a small moment. The few times he did manage to stay awake, he could always see the silhouette of a person, though not much of it — he could barely discern the hair from the face. But that meant someone was taking care of him, which was odd in itself. Most people despised Faunus, and he did not think any would make the effort to help one, regardless of their condition.

This time — as he came to again — he was able to actually sit up, though he stopped as soon as he felt a sharp pain tug at his chest, making him groan in pain. His ears picked up the clatter of something being put down and only moments later did he register the feel of hands on his shoulders, gently pushing him back down. He fought against it, but whoever it was was stronger than him and he had to reluctantly oblige and lay back down on what he assumed was a bed.

"You shouldn't move. Your wound might get worse. Here, let me get you something to drink," he heard what appeared to be a female voice say. A hand was suddenly placed beneath his head, lifting it up slightly and he could feel something cool touch his lips, a faint smell of herbs rising into his nose. He retracted his head, not wanting to drink anything he didn't know.

"It's okay. It's just some tea. You have to drink something. It will also help with your injury," the voice said gently and he reluctantly took a few sips, grateful for the warm liquid that pleasantly ran down his throat. He could recognize some herbs and berries, but there were also some other plants in the drink that he didn't know. The cup was taken back and the hand gently lowered his head back onto the pillow.

"You should rest."

No sooner were the words said that everything turned black again. The last thing he could see were a pair of bright blue eyes. And then he was gone again.

* * *

 **Edited 23/02/2017**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	18. Chapter 18: Awake

**Chapter 18: Awake**

Adam slowly blinked his eyes open, the sudden irradiation of light making him shut them closed again before finally reopening them. His sight adjusted to the dim light that filtered in, blurry at first before clearing more and more. His gaze was fixed on what seemed to be a ceiling made of stone, leading him to question his current whereabouts. He slowly sat himself up, taking notice of the wet cloth that fell into his lap. Raising a hand to his head, he noticed that his mask was no longer in place. On second thought, neither were his coat and shirt. Instead, bandages covered his torso and a blanket covered him from his stomach down. Another set of gauze was wrapped snugly around his head.

Looking around, he carefully inspected his surroundings. The room he was in certainly was a cave, and from the looks of it, it was situated in the middle of the forest, for he could see various trees through the mouth of the cave. A fire was crackling quietly a few feet away and he noticed the numerous rocks that were placed around it, like they were organized in that order to be sat on. Looking to the right, he spotted a few piles of clothes, mostly pants and tops, and a cloak, all neatly stacked together.

 _Where the hell am I?_ he asked himself, not sure what to make of his situation. Obviously, he was in the home of someone and it looked like that someone was living in the forest which was basically impossible.

The rustling of underbrush made him snap his attention to the opening of the cavern, and a few moments later a figure stepped inside. Due to the light that illuminated the person's silhouette, he could at first not distinguish if it was a man or woman. But once his sight had adjusted, he realized it to be a young girl.

She was walking towards him and he took this moment to study her. Her black hair was cut short and she was wearing a dark red top with black shorts, black stockings that reached to her mid-thigh and dark green combat boots. He tried reaching for his weapon, spotting the bow she held in her hand. His move did not go unnoticed as the sheets rustled in the process. It was enough to make the girl look up at him. Her eyes were a bright blue, staring at him in surprise, as though she had forgotten he was there.

"Oh, you're up," she spoke, a small smile forming on her lips. She put aside her weapon and the quiver with arrows that was slung across her shoulder before stepping over to him. No sooner was she in reaching distance did he jump out of bed. Using his strength, Adam pushed her body against the wall, his arm pressed firmly against her throat. The girl let out a surprised gasp but that was it.

 _Odd,_ he mused.

* * *

Serena wiped a hand across her forehead. She had been out hunting but had remained unsuccessful thus far. Somehow, her head was in the clouds. She didn't really have the focus to kill anything properly today. The sun beating down on her head didn't help much either. So, instead of wandering aimlessly through the forest, she decided to head back home to check on her patient. The fever had gone down so he should wake up soon.

She giggled to herself. _It's almost like in that novel, "The English Patient". Now the only thing that's missing is that he's some kind of spy or secret agent._ Her imagination could already image it. If only she had known at the time how on spot her fantasy had been.

Ajax joined her half-way, nuzzling her cheek affectionately, noticing her odd behavior. As they neared her home, Serena told her friend to return to his own, explaining that her guest could not see him yet. He seemed upset but still obliged, licking her face once before leaving.

She entered her home, bow in hand and pondered on what she should prepare for dinner that evening. She had bought some potatoes lately — they were quite long-lasting and variable in use, — so, if she managed to catch some fish later, she could eat it with some boiled potatoes. Or maybe mashed?

The rustling of sheets reached her ears and she looked up to spot the man sitting up. She had momentarily forgotten about him. She leaned her weapon against the wall and started to walk up to him.

"Oh, you're up." She tried to make her voice as soft and calm as possible, trying to appeal to him as a friend — not a foe. She didn't want him to think of her as a threat, being very aware of the Faunus' general relationship with humans.

Just when she was about to reach him, he jumped out of bed with surprising speed, and she suddenly found herself pinned against the wall. The weight of his forearm was settled against her throat, slightly cutting of her air supply, yet not enough to choke her.

She gasped in surprise but — surprising herself — little fear arose within her. She briefly wondered if something was wrong with her. The normal reaction to her current predicament would be for her to panic. She was the weaker party here, and he could easily kill her by applying more pressure onto her throat. Really, she should be freaking out right now. But she was calm as ever, as if she didn't even realize the situation she was in.

Locking eyes with her now not so helpless patient, she found angry red eyes glaring down at her. It was the first time she had ever seen eyes like that — the most spectacular eye color in her world would be green or grey-blue. But these here were a deep red, almost burgundy that burned with a passion and — and she realized this with dismay — a lot of mistrust and hatred.

Another thing she noticed was just how tall he was. He easily towered over her, his body over-shadowing hers by almost two heads. She guessed he was somewhere in the 6 feet area, if not even a bit taller. His shoulders were broad and his arms toned, but not overly muscular. _Just right,_ she noted with a blush she hoped he did not see. His voice was low and deep when he spoke, and it sent a shiver racing down her back.

* * *

"Who the hell are you? And where the fuck am I?" Adam bit out the questions, his narrowed eyes glaring the girl down. He noticed how infinitely small she seemed to be, compared to his tall self. He knew his height was superior to that of an average male, but right now, he felt like a giant about to crush a mouse. He actually had to bend down to see eye to eye with her.

The sudden flash of pain emanating from his chest caused him to hiss and stagger back, releasing his hold on the girl. To his surprise — and shock — the human rushed to his side and supported him, draping his left arm across her shoulder.

"You shouldn't move yet. Come, lie back down," the female reprimanded calmly, guiding him back to the rock — What the hell kind of girl was she to have a rock as bed? — he'd been lying on. He tried to push her away from him, not wanting to have to rely on the help of a human of all things, but she was a stubborn one and remained at his side until he was safely back in bed.

"Your wound is not healed yet, so try not to do any rash movements," she advised, pulling the blanket up so that it covered half of his chest. It seemed she sensed his unease and animosity, and therefor chose to leave his arms free. He watched as she went to the fire and grabbed a cup and tea pot. She put some unidentifiable herbs into it, added some water and put it at the edge of the flames. A few minutes later, she removed the pot and poured some of the liquid it contained into the small ceramic cup.

"Here," she said, offering him the cup. "You should drink this; it will help with your healing process."

He eyed the liquid skeptically, sitting up as she motioned for him to do. The liquid inside was suspiciously green and he frowned in distrust. He did not think her above trying to poison him; she was, after all, a human.

"No thank you." He scoffed as he pushed her hand away, the "tea" inside almost spilling onto the girl's hand at the abrupt movement. He absolutely refused to drink anything he could not identify, even if it was supposed to help him heal.

"It's not poisoned," the human replied, and he detected a hint of offense in her otherwise calm tone. To prove her point, she took a small sip, then reached the cup back out to him. "Come on, you need to drink at least some. It's the best I have, and it's far better than medicine."

Adam finally gave up and admitted it to be pointless to argue any further with this girl. And she had proven to him that the drink was not poisoned, for she had not keeled over and died yet. So he decided it to be safe to take a few sips. The taste really wasn't too bad, and he noticed the flavor was the same as the one he had tasted back when he'd been mostly unconscious. He deduced that she had been taking care of him for quite some time, though he did not know how long.

The girl looked pleased and went over to the fire, stoking some more wood into it. "I'm glad you're better. I honestly didn't know if you'd make it," she said from her spot, her back turned to him.

He thought her a fool for turning her back on someone who had threatened her only moments ago. "How did I end up here?" he asked gruffly, wanting to know just what the fuck had happened.

"Well, you see…"

She trailed off, testing his patience. Adam was already pissed off and now she hesitated in explaining to him how he had gotten here? If she didn't talk soon, there would be physical violence involved.

"Actually, I was just making my… rounds through the sky when I saw you and two others surrounded by Grimm. You were already passed out when I got there, so I took you back here and treated your wounds. You were out for two days with a fever, but it seems you're all better now. Although I'm afraid you'll have to stay for a little while; the wound on your torso is quite deep and it will need time to heal."

"How long?"

"I'm no doctor, but I would say at least about two weeks to be safe. Maybe even longer," she responded, poking the fire with a stick, making it crack and sparks ascend into the air.

Adam frowned — two weeks was too long. He needed to get back to the White Fang as soon as possible. He had no time to sit around and sip tea, waiting for his wound to heal by itself.

"I don't have time for that," he grumbled.

The girl turned around to face him. Her blue eyes appeared to be glowing with how the light of the fire was cast onto them and she regarded him with a serious expression. He thought to see a hint of irritation and defiance in them.

"I'm afraid you'll have to deal with it. You could barely stand earlier and if you move around too much before the wound is completely healed, you'll only make it worse," she stated matter-of-fact.

He growled at her — no one was allowed to order him around, especially not some hermit girl. Looking her over, he noticed the obvious lack of noticeable muscles, which begged the question: how did she get him here? And he asked her just that, eyebrows raised in mockery.

All irritation left her expression and was replaced with a smile. "Oh, a friend helped me. I'll introduce you to him some time later, but not now. I don't think you're ready just yet."

 _Not ready yet? Ready for what?_ he asked himself, not comprehending the meaning of her words. He suddenly remembered the two other Faunus — Eric and Steve — whom had been with him. He didn't see them anywhere. Did that mean they dead? Possibly captured?

"Hey, human. What happened to the two other men? Where are they?"

A flicker of sadness crossed her face. She remained silent for a few moments and seemed to be debating something internally. When she finally appeared to have reached a conclusion, she threw him a glance before saying, "You should rest."

Then she turned back to the fire, which answered his question anyway. He now knew that both men were, without a doubt, dead.

* * *

 **Edited 14/04/2017**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**

 **Excuse the mild swearing. For those of you who do not like swearing, neither do I, but I believe it to be appropriate in that part of the story.**

 **Happy Easter everyone!**


	19. Chapter 19: Surprise

**Chapter 19: Surprise**

He had already stayed for two days. Two days together with a human who now knew what he looked like and who told him what to do and what not to. He didn't like getting ordered around. Especially not by a human.

Adam hadn't really talked much with the human in those past two days. Why should he? She was his natural enemy; even if she was acting kind now, he was sure that she was just like the other humans. Sure, she had saved his life by getting him away from the Grimm and treating his wounds, even if he didn't want to admit that fact. It was what he got from his semblance to a bull; the stubbornness and he was simply too proud to admit that he was indebted to some human.

The girl seemed not a big threat to him and he made a mental note to silence her once he was fully healed and could return to the White Fang. He did not trust her one bit and assumed that she would go to the military as soon as he left, telling them everything and what he looked like. She could even be as stupid as to follow him and report the location of their hideout. No, he could not let such a risk live on. Plus, it would be easy to dispose of her. She had no apparent strength and the only weapons he could see she had were a stick and bow and arrows. He would destroy the bow and dispose of the arrows when he had the chance, then it would be easy to kill her.

To his surprise she had actually given him his weapon back. He had asked for it the day he had woken up to this new predicament and had noticed that his weapon was not where it should have been. When he'd asked, she'd told him that she had gone and looked for it after she had found him and was keeping it under one pile of her clothes in case someone should walk by or anything, which he thought to be a silly thought. He thought her to be a complete idiot when she had immediately given it back to him, not even considering the possibility that he could be an enemy. The girl trusted him blindly and had no second thoughts whatsoever.

Adam was currently sitting on the makeshift bed, cleaning his sword and taking care of the pistol that was integrated in the sheath of it. He had not cleaned it since that fight and when he didn't take care of it, the blade would get dull and the pistol could start making problems the next time he needed it. He was still wearing nothing but the bandages that the human had applied since his shirt was torn and he had nothing else but the equally torn coat to wear. He continued his methodical cleaning until he heard the girl's voice approaching. She was talking, but he could not detect anyone else's presence.

 _Maybe the human is crazy? It would certainly fit into her profile,_ he mused to himself, finding her overall behavior odd.

* * *

Serena had been out fishing with Ajax. The Grimm could actually help by snatching fish with its claws, making it easier for her to get something to eat that day. She had decided that she would cook some roasted fish with some fried potatoes and some carrots she'd bought in the city lately. It would be a change from the plain meal of meat with berries and she was sure that her guest would also appreciate it. Fish had lots of vitamins and it could only help healing his wounds. After about an hour or so of fishing, she had an entire basket full of fish, enough for at least four people.

 _Maybe I overdid it a little,_ she thought to herself, brooding over just how the two of them would be eating so much fish. _Well, I can still smoke it if there is too much left over._

"Hey Ajax, you like fish right?" she asked the animal who simply snorted in reply, licking its snout to emphasize his answer. "Maybe you'll get lucky today if I have enough left over."

They began their trudge back home, Ajax carrying the basket full of fish on his back with her riding on it, keeping their meal steady so that it wouldn't fall off. She wondered just what she should do these two weeks that she had the man living with her. He needed to rest for at least another four days, then she would have to check on his wound and see how it was doing. If it was good enough so that he could move more, maybe they could go explore the forest together and he could help her fish and hunt.

She would a least have some company for those two weeks.

"Now that I think about it, I don't even know his name. Didn't tell him mine either. Mom would be so mad; taking some stranger in, giving him a weapon and letting him sleep in the same room as me without even knowing who he is. She'd have a heart attack if she knew this," the girl said quietly, more to herself than her friend, a slight smile coming to her face at the memory of her mother and how she always told her that her carelessness would be the death of her some day.

She'd had some nightmares since she had found out that she was still alive and just in another universe. It would mostly consist of her being torn from her family, or seeing them at her funeral with an empty coffin. She would be like a ghost; unheard and unseen, calling out to them, telling them that she was alive and well but no one would hear. They would pass through her and she would always wake up crying, she even woke up from her own screams once. It had been one where she was reliving the whole crash again. Everything would be so real; the pain, the screams, the people, the cold…

She tore herself out of her thoughts, feeling tears already forming in her eyes at the sheer memory of the dreams. It was bad enough that she couldn't really sleep at night; she didn't need nightmares when she was awake, too.

"I wonder how they are doing? If they're healthy and what has happened. Jasmin should soon be coming into her last three years of high school. Mom and dad should be doing fine, probably still bickering about petty things like usual. I want to see them. I want them to at least know that I'm okay."

She got off Ajax when they neared her home and, immersed in her thoughts, she forgot about the person inside and didn't tell Ajax to stay back. Only when she heard a surprised gasp and the sound of a blade being drawn did she snap out of it. Looking up, she saw that the red-haired male had his sword in hands, standing at the ready, his red eyes narrowing at the creature that was beside her. She could feel Ajax tensing beside her, reacting to the weapon the Faunus was pointing at him. The Grimm growled and bared his teeth, ready to attack at any second but he didn't.

* * *

Adam couldn't believe what he was seeing. The girl had just walked in with a Grimm at her side.

A Grimm!

He had immediately drawn his sword that he had finished polishing just moments ago, jumping up and into a fighting stance. He glared at the animal, seeing that it, too, had noticed him and was just as ready to attack as he was. Only the presence of the girl beside the monster seemed to hold it back, which did not make sense to him.

Why would a Grimm of all things listen to some weak human?

The girl looked in between them before putting up both hands, one directed at him and the other at the monster, motioning for the both of them to calm down and for him to lay down his weapon. Like he would do such a thing!

"Ajax, this man is not an enemy," she said in a calm voice, looking the animal-look-alike into its red eyes.

 _Ajax?_

"You don't need to attack him. Please, calm down. He is no threat and will not hurt me."

Oh, how wrong she was.

"And you," she said, turning her head slightly towards him but keeping her eyes locked on the creature that was still ready to pounce. "You should lay down your sword. He won't do anything."

Now he was positive that she was crazy! All Grimm lived for the sole purpose of exterminating mankind and they did not show mercy. How could she possibly think that it would harm neither of them, let alone listen to her command. But the fact that the creature had not attacked yet made him think.

 _Why doesn't it attack? There's nothing keeping it from killing me or the human. Except…_

"I will only repeat myself once," she repeated in a more stern and serious tone now, the calmness still there but not as prominent as before. "Lay down your sword and calm down, both of you."

The animal seemed to heed the warning as it slowly relaxed and took a step back, getting back on all four instead of just its hind legs. Adam was still reluctant to put away his only means of defense, but if the monster really did listen to her, then he had no other choice. He loosened his stance and sheathed his sword, still keeping it at his side in case things should go wrong. The girl seemed pleased as she smiled at the two before gasping as she looked at him. Looking down, he could see the bandage on his torso reddening, new blood seeping into it.

"I will have to change your bandages. I guess the wound reopened from your sudden movement. I told you not to move around so much," she scolded him with her voice still holding that serenity which it seemed to always have.

"Fine. Just get to it human," he replied gruffly, not pleased by the fact that she would touch his wound. He didn't trust her and if she wanted to then she could make his wound become worse.

"I just need to get one thing. Lie down already but don't touch the bandages. I'll do it as soon as I'm finished," she said, going out shortly, leaving him alone with the Grimm, both staring at each other warily, before she returned with some yellow plant with big leaves. He sat down on the bed, watching as she put the plant into a bowl and mashed it with a mortar. She added some other plants and something that looked like oil, mixing it all with a spoon until it became a sort of cream.

She walked over to him, setting the bowl down beside him before getting onto the bed herself and climbing behind him. He could feel her hands fumbling with the knot that kept the bandages together before they loosened and she started taking them off, arms moving around him quickly and skillfully, as if she'd done this a few times already. When she had taken off all of the bandages, she got back in front of him.

"Sit back so that your back is against the wall, please," she instructed him. Although he didn't like to listen to a human, he followed her instruction and leaned his back on the stone wall that was behind him, giving her access to his torso.

* * *

Serena looked at the wound; it had ripped open again from him suddenly jumping up and moving about, but the bleeding wasn't as strong as she had feared. Deciding that she should clean it again, she quickly went to the pond and gathered a bucket of water, grabbing a piece of cloth from the first aid kit as she made her way back to the male. She soaked the cloth in the water before carefully dabbing around the wound to clean the skin of any blood that had trickled down. Then she moved to the edge of the wound, much like she had done it the first time, receiving a light hiss from the person opposite her sometimes, but surprisingly he never said anything.

When she had cleaned it up enough, she grabbed the bowl with the ointment and smeared some onto her fingers. But before she could administer it to the wound, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her movement all together. She looked up at him and could see him glaring at her, his deep red eyes slightly brighter by the light the fire cast on them. She had seen that he was wary of her and knew that he didn't completely trust her, but she would never try to hurt someone who was already hurt and needed help. She was a gentle soul, as her mother and father had often said, far too soft to hurt anyone intentionally.

"What is that?" he demanded, his glare intensifying as he scrutinized the yellowish-green substance that was on her fingers.

"It's only ointment to help heal your wounds," she explained, though she knew that he would not be satisfied by that simple answer.

"What's it made out of?"

"I only used herbs to make this. It's some Gindo mixed with Akara and Zewa, and some natural oil that I bought for these kind of things. It's nothing bad." But she could see that we was still not convinced. "Please, I only want to help you and this will also abate the pain," she explained calmly, looking into his eyes so that he could see that she was telling the truth. She was a terrible liar, anyways.

He seemed to debate this for a few seconds before letting go of her wrist, allowing her to continue what she had been doing. Serena carefully smeared the ointment around the wound, careful that it would not enter it or come into contact with the sensible flesh. When she had applied enough of it so that the whole wound was covered, she put the bowl away and washed her hands in the bucket before going over to her personal things and grabbing a roll of bandages. Going back over, she told him to come sit on the edge of the bed and, when he had done so, she wrapped the bandages around the wound again, careful not to tie them too tightly.

"Tell me if they're too tight or too loose," she said from behind him. Receiving no response, she assumed that it was okay and knotted the ends together, securing the bandages. "You should lie down and rest some more. There isn't anything else to do anyway and it is good when your injury can rest a little. By the way, we're having fish with potatoes and carrots tonight. I'll wake you when dinner is ready."

The red head only nodded his head before lying down so that his back was facing her. Serena sighed before dumping the used water and getting some new one so that she could wash their food. She cleaned the fish and vegetables before cutting everything into pieces. When it was starting to get dark, she put the fish into the pan and the vegetables into a pot, setting everything on the edge of the fire. It only took about twenty minutes until everything was prepared and ready to eat. Serena gently woke her male guest from his slumber and they both sat in front of the fire, opposite each other. Neither spoke a word and Serena guessed that he didn't want to socialize with her, though she could see by the few glances that he gave her sometimes that he had a few questions regarding what had happened that afternoon with Ajax.

* * *

Adam looked at the human opposite him carefully, eating his food slowly. He had a lot of questions regarding this strange human. How did she manage to tame a Grimm? Why did the animal even listen to her? Why did she treat him so nice? He thought hard about an answer to any of these questions but could never really come up with a satisfying one. He had the luck to have been saved by a very strange human girl and, although he scolded himself for it, he wanted to know more about her. Where she came from, why she lived here all alone…

 _I guess I'll have to ask her someday, even though she is a human. But that power of hers could be useful and help us attain our goal,_ he thought, knowing that Spike would be interested in this kind of power.

Their dinner ended in silence and both soon went to bed, Serena drinking some more tea before lying down in front of her occupied bed. She looked into the flames a little longer until the heat and constant dance of the flames made her eyes tired and she was soon asleep, off into another dream that would most likely make her wake up crying the next morning.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **So what do you think of this one? I made them interact some, although it's hard with a character like Adam. I hope that I got his character somewhat right. Anyway, I have a lot of fun writing this story and I guess it will become one of my best, well, considering that I only have one so far.**

 **Anyway, tell me your thoughts and anything that you might not like. I always do appreciate criticism, it helps me evolve and better my writing. So don't forget to review!**


	20. Chapter 20: Grave

**Chapter 20: Grave**

There was one thing Adam had noticed about his temporary caretaker. It was the fact that she regularly left the cave — twice a day or so — and would always be accompanied by the Grimm she had referred to as Ajax. The thing that irked him was the fact that her absence lasted for quite some time. Plus, during those times, she would return without any food. His first guess had been that she would be going out to hunt, but that assumption had been proven wrong the first time she returned empty handed. He wondered what else she could be doing in the forest?

Today was the fourth day of his unwilling stay, and the human had once more left — this time in the early morning when the sun had barely risen — and not returned since. He had pretended to still be asleep and listened to the fading sound of her footsteps. The Grimm had not been with her this time. He opted to wait for her return, since there was nothing for him to do anything.

He wondered how she had not gone mad yet.

The familiar noise of leaves being crushed invaded his ears and he looked up from the fire that had been his object of study, and turned his attention to the girl. As usual, her boots were dusty and he could see that mud that was caked to the soles of them. There were smears of earth on her bare legs as well, and her hands looked dirty and rough.

He watched as she knelt by the bucket she kept some water in and gently lowered her hands into the cool liquid. Her body visibly relaxed and he saw the relief that slowly filled her face. She carefully began to wash the filth off her hands and dried them on one of the towels that lay scattered throughout the cave. Her blue gaze flicked over to his own analyzing eyes and she offered him a small smile. Adam noticed just how tired she looked to be.

 _Just what is she doing out there?_

"How's your wound?"

The question had become standard to his ears. Every day, she would inquire about his well-bing, and sometimes check the wound even of he claimed it to be fine. That really annoyed him — we wasn't some baby that needed looking after. But so far, he had let her do as she pleased, guessing that it would help him get out of this place sooner.

The main reason for his silence, though, was the fact that he tried to avoid having a conversation with her as much as possible. Fraternizing with the enemy — even if he was not really fraternizing — was punishable in the White Fang. Plus, his own pride kept him from talking to a lowly human.

But today, he decided on another course of action. The best he could make of his current situation was to find out as much as possible about her power to control those monsters known as Grimm. And, even if he wouldn't admit it to himself, it helped him as well — a way to kill the silence and boredom. Naturally, any questions asked by her about their organization would be left vastly answered.

"Fine," he replied, raising his chin so that he was looking her in the eye. His mask lay forgotten on the stone on which the girl had placed it the day she had found and treated him. He didn't bother putting it on any longer. Firstly, she would be dead before he left anyway. And secondly, it was nice to have the thing off for once. At HQ, he continuously wore the plastic thing and only took it off when going to sleep. So this was a welcome change for once.

She gave him another smile, replying, "That's good. Tell me if it hurts, okay?" Then she headed over to the fire to pour herself a new cup of tea. She drank an awful lot of the beverage, he noticed."You want some? It's a new one that I made just this morning so it's still fresh."

He scrutinized the offer. In the past, he had mostly avoided drinking the tea that she brewed. He'd simply asked for water instead of the mixture. But since he could tell she was not the kind of person that would poison someone — especially not after having saved him from certain death — he chose to accept it.

Surprise showed on her face and it took her a moment to process his answer. He smirked internally as she poured him a cup while he made his way over to sit across from her. Taking a sip, he was taken aback by the fact that it actually tasted pretty good. At HQ, they passed hot water as tea, and the coffee was even worse.

This, he could get used to, especially since it would be a change of taste.

"It's good." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could think upon them. Upon realizing that he had just complimented her, he wanted to kill himself. He was here to get information — _not_ to flatter some human girl.

"Really?" she accepted the out-of-character affirmation happily. "Thanks; I was a bit worried it would taste weird since I experimented with some new herbs and haven't really made up my mind yet if I like it or not, so…" Blushing out of no detectable reason, she lifted her cup to her lips, murmuring, "I'm glad you like it."

Adam arched a brow while taking a sip of his own. _Odd human. Anyway, time to get down to business._

"So," he started off vaguely, not really sure how to phrase his question, before he just decided "fuck it" and asked bluntly, "What've you been doing out there this whole time?"

It was her turn to arch a brow and look surprised once more. "Out where?"

"The forest," he pressed on. "You've been going there pretty often."

Her eyes dimmed and the normally light blue color turned into a deep sea blue. It was interesting to observe such a change. Her hands wrapped themselves around the delicate tea cup and her body seemed to take on an immense weight by the way she leaned her elbows on her knees.

"So you noticed," she mumbled, more to herself than him.

His ears perked up at that. He was not supposed to know of her leaves then. This only strengthened his curiosity. What in the Goddesses' name could be so secret that he was not supposed to know of it. Maybe she had tried to retrace his steps? To try and find the White Fang base on her own?

But, no, that would not leave her covered in mud. And she would not need a shovel to track traces.

What else then?

"That day when you first woke up," she started off slowly, catching his attention. Her eyes locked with his and she seemed to debate on how to voice what was next to come. "After I found and treated you, you had a serious fever. But once you woke up. Do you remember what you said?"

Her eyes searched his as though this were a vital question. The day he woke up… How could he remember? If he had been as bad as she said, then he would not be able to remember anything. Even less something he said.

"No."

Light blue turned into deep sea blue once more and her eyes took on a hint of sadness. She took a deep breath, her entire body heaving with it. "I see."

"What did I say?" he demanded. Her reaction was extraordinary. Had he revealed some grave secret concerning the White Fang? Or something else?

Without a word, she put her cup aside and stood from her seat. Turning her back to him, she did not notice his blazing eyes. Would she leave him now? Or had the military been outside all along and would now arrest him? But once she reached the exit of the cave, there was no yelling, no soldiers jumping up and out to kill him.

The only thing she did was turn to him and commanded, "Follow me."

Now she was really stretching his patience.

Nevertheless, he obeyed. His first thought was to take his weapon with him — there was still the possibility of her being a threat and all — but by her attitude, he saw that she meant no harm. So he followed her. She took him along a path she must have created herself all those times she left the cave. The leaves were trampled into the ground and the girl maneuvered through the thick foliage with ease.

After brushing aside several branches — he was a lot taller than her, so of course she could just walk under them — they finally came upon a clearing.

And on that clearing were what seemed to be two graves. The sun cast a red glow through the leaves of the trees surrounding the space and directly onto the two crosses that stood erect in the ground. The crosses themselves were made of two sticks tied to each other, but embellished by flowers and leaves that had been draped over them.

"What is this place?" Adam demanded with shock. She had taken him to see a graveyard? What kind of sick joke was this?

"When I found you, there were two other men with you. But…" Her voiced stocked for a moment and he looked at her, shocked to see her eyes become shiny with unshed tears. She sucked in a shaky breath before continuing. "But they were already gone. There was nothing I could do for them. Except this." She lowered her head. "I'm really sorry."

Adam felt how his own heart contracted in his chest. Of course. Eric and Steve. They had been with him, on the mission, but not when he woke up. Why had he not asked about them?

Damn it! Those two were idiots, but they had still been his responsibility. His men. Yet he had not even remembered them.

Swallowing the unfamiliar feeling of grief, Adam advanced to the two graves. There, he knelt down on one knee, before laying a hand on each cross. The soil was still fresh — they had not been buried long — and the flowers still gave off a pleasant aroma. Lowering his head, he gave a quick prayer, whispering the words "I'm sorry" at the end. Once finished, he stood back up and turned around to see the girl standing behind him, her own eyes closed and lips moving in a silent prayer.

Walking until he stood shoulder to shoulder with her, he asked one question that had invaded his mind the second he'd seen the grave site.

"Why did you do this for them? They're Faunus."

She lifted her head, blue locking with red, hers still sporting a trace of tears. Giving him a small, sad smile, she gave the simplest yet most shocking answer he had ever heard.

"Everyone needs a grave; no matter if human or Faunus. They were human and deserve as much a chance to rest in peace as you and I do. They hold the same rights. It's the least I can do for them."

He accepted the answer for what it was. But before he could leave to return to the cave, the girl asked, "What were their names? I want to add them, so that they won't be forgotten."

 _So that they won't be forgotten._

She wanted to remember them, saw them as someone that mattered. In all his life, Adam had never been as shocked as he was in this moment. This human girl refuted every opinion he had held against humans for his entire life.

She was different.

"Eric and Steve."

With that, he retreated to the cave. She may not know it — and never will — but, internally, Adam was grateful to her. At least she would not forget the men who gave their lives to protect him and the White Fang.

They would not be forgotten like numerous other brothers and sisters.

And for the first time, Adam had to admit that, maybe, not all humans were bad. At least not this one girl.

* * *

 **Edited 20/06/2017**


	21. Chapter 21: Theory

**Chapter 21: Theory**

The evening's dinner consisted of roasted fish, peas, and potatoes. It was late afternoon and Serena was occupied with scaling and preparing the fish. All the while, Adam sat at his place on the rock by the fire, watching said human as she worked. He watched as she bustled around what she designated as her kitchen, though it was anything but. For him, it was nothing more than a convenient collection of rocks and boulders.

Questions swirled through his mind as he observed her removing the innards of their dinner. Questions such as, why did she live here? It was isolated, with not a soul in sight. Then; why was she alone? Did she not have any family to live with? And how had she managed to tame a Grimm?

The last question was the most important one. It had been unheard of in all of Remnant — never before had there been a human that could get as close to a Grimm as this human girl could. He himself had been shocked by the fact that that stupid rumor was actually true. Plus, the way in which she did it was even more confusing. She did not use force, but instead showed them kindness, love even. The concept made his head hurt.

Which was why he decided that he would forego the usual silence that filled their dinners and would quite simply and bluntly ask her. She had been nice the entire time, and Adam was sure she had no idea of the importance she held, and what a potential target and weapon she was. Not only for the White Fang, but for every military on the planet.

* * *

Serena daintily smeared the paste of herbs onto the fish's skin, humming a song she used to love while doing so. While doing so, she reflected upon the changed behavior of her guest. He used to avoid talking to her altogether, occasionally voicing one or two words before returning to complete silence. But now, he had become more talkative, even asking questions. She chalked it up to the fact that she was the only other human here, and that he was quite simply bored.

Nevertheless, she was grateful for the change of attitude. His tactic of ignoring her before had hurt and irked her to no end. She knew that Faunus were hostile when it came to the topic of humans, but she had not given him one reason to consider her his enemy. But that had all become better now. At least a little.

"So how do you do it?"

The question came out of nowhere, and Serena almost jumped out of her skin. It was not the way in which it had been said — he had never once talked loudly, always speaking in a deep, gruff voice — but the fact that he suddenly expressed an interest in conversing with her. And, even more shocking to her, she could detect a hint of curiosity and genuine interest in his deep baritone.

Placing a calming hand on her still racing heart, she cleaned her hands before turning her body to face him. His face was impassive, a mask that constantly observed and assessed her. But his eyes shone with the inquisitiveness she had detected earlier.

Tilting her head and leaning against her counter, she contemplated his words before asking, "Do what?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "You know what I mean. How do you control those monsters?" he asked gruffly.

It was Serena's turn to look displeased. The Grimm were not monsters, even if the whole world viewed them as such. So she voiced her disapproval of his wording. "They are not monsters. And I don't control them."

His eyes seemed to sharpen their glare at the frosty note that entered her voice and he sneered once. "Then what do you do? They listen to you, so there obviously is a method to control them," he argued, pronouncing the word 'control'.

"There is no method," the girl replied calmly. "I respect them and they respect me. That's all."

"You've gotta be kidding me. That can't be all!"

* * *

Adam grit his teeth at the stubbornness of the human girl. There must be a way to gain control over the Grimm, and he knew she knew which one it was. She was even more ignorant than he'd thought her to be if she believed that all she had to do was show those monsters a little kindness, a little respect, and they would do her bidding. She was hiding something from him, he could feel it.

"I know it sounds crazy and it's hard to believe, but there is no trick behind it. The Grimm are much more human than you might think. All you need to do is show them kindness and they will return it. As long as you trust them, they will trust you as well. They will accept you that way."

Adam scoffed at her explanation. This human was so deluded, not even he could believe it. Either she really believed the bullshit she preached, or she was humoring him. Either would not work out well for her. He would get the answer sooner or later. The Grimm were mindless creatures, born only to destroy humankind. They did not even understand the concept of love or respect, much less trust.

The girl must have heard his scoff for she lifted her eyes, blue clashing with red in a silent battle. There was no doubt in her eyes — she really believed what she just told him.

 _That settles it; she's nuts,_ he concluded. _Living in isolation must have fried her brain._

"I'm perfectly sane," the girl suddenly quipped, and for a moment Adam suspected he'd talked aloud. "You didn't say it, but it's written all over your face. You're not as unreadable as you might think to be."

His blood boiled at the arrogant smirk she threw him. _Why, this little-_

"When I first met Ajax, the Grimm that always accompanies me, he attacked me."

The information hit him out of the blue and his blood stopped simmering. Instead, he payed rapt attention to the words that came out of her mouth, eyebrows furrowed all the while.

"It was shortly after I'd ended up here, so I had no idea what a Grimm was. And when I stumbled upon him, he attacked and injured me," she explained, turning her left arm so he could spot a thin scar that trailed across the upper part. "Naturally, I fled. But somehow, I knew that he was more than a wild animal. So, when I met him again, things went differently. I assume your reaction to the encounter would have been to kill him," she addressed him.

Adam nodded his head and she continued on.

"See, that's the problem. The Grimm are used to the fact that, as soon as they encounter a human, they will be attacked and, subsequently, killed. So I didn't do anything. I noticed that he only attacked out of fear for his own life — he didn't do it for fun or anything, but to protect his life. I started talking to him, and that kinda did the trick. He calmed down and that's how we became friends," she finished off. "And after a while, he also introduced me to Aeolus, Napoleon, and all the others."

That added bit of information made his already loose jaw drop, and Adam quickly tried to recompose himself. Coughing once, he asked, "To who?"

The girl smiled. "They're other Grimm I met a few months ago. Aeolus is a Nevermore, and Napoleon is the leader of one of the Grimm packs. Ajax introduced me to them shortly after we became friends. Oh, and then there's Loki! He's a Beowulf that just loves to taunt me." She shook her head while chuckling to herself. "They're all very nice."

Now Adam was sure his jaw was on the floor. Had this girl really just addressed mindless killer-beasts by names? And she talked of them as though they were human!

 _She said 'others', so she has control over many more Grimm,_ the Faunus realized with astonishment. _Just what kind of monster is this girl?_

* * *

Serena was pleased that she seemed to have baffled her — for the moment — unpleasant guest. At least that made him shut up. She honestly hated it whenever he called them monsters. They were so much more than that. If only the humans of this world could see that.

"So, what you're saying is that, although Grimm are the greatest threat in this world, the only thing they want from us is to be loved?" he mock-questioned her. Of course he would.

"Yes, I think that would be best for all," she replied, standing her ground. She was done with him mocking her about things he knew only little about. "Instead of continuously killing them, it would be best for the population of this world to learn to understand them."

His eyes gleamed for a second before he continued with, "So, let me guess, they're here to help us. I'm sure some over-worldly power sent them, not to kill us, but to help us. They're heaven sent angels."

Exasperation took hold of Serena. It was tiring to argue with him. But, then again, it was obvious that no one would believe what some girl living in a cave said. By his standards, she was probably bonkers. But she refused to give him the satisfaction.

"Actually, I do."

His chuckling stopped abruptly and his eyes snapped to her in their surprise. Even if it was only a small change, Serena was determined to change at least this man's opinion about the Grimm.

"Contrary to what everyone else thinks — that the Grimm are meant to extinct humanity and so on…" She waved it off with a lofty hand as though she was not talking about the future of the entire human race. "… I think that they serve a much bigger, much more important purpose."

"And that would be?"

"Helping humans to avoid war," she declared. Waiting a few moments to let the idea sink into his thick skull, she continued on matter-of-fact, "Think about it. Has this world ever experienced war? No, it has not. And that is because you do not have the time to. Should one of the kingdoms decide to wage war, they would have to deploy all of their military forces. They would have to leave their land with minimum defenses. It would be easy for the Grimm to storm such a weak kingdom. Plus, the negativity that is exuded when war is waged would only amplify the Grimm's strength."

She paused a moment, watching how he processed the information she had just thrown at him. It was satisfying enough to see him so perplexed.

"So, you see, there really is no opportunity for you to attack each other. The Grimm help balance this co-existence: if one kingdom starts to get unhinged, the Grimm will be there to put it back in its place." Lightening her tone, she added, "And just look at all the technological advances the Grimm have brought you. Alone your weapon would be something the humans in my world would need decades to construct. We didn't even think of it yet! The Grimm help you to evolve. That is their purpose; not to destroy you. They are to keep the harmony until you are capable of maintaining it yourselves."

* * *

Adam had never been so perplexed in his entire life. The girl's theory was sound — she had prove that added strength to her arguments. But the Grimm as keepers of peace? If he was not wrong, then it was the Grimm that attacked humans on an almost daily basis. They did not need Hunters and Huntresses for nothing. They were a very real threat, and many kingdoms had already fallen prey to them.

Still, she had a point. Not once had he or his family experienced war, and he had been on this planet for twenty-two years, his parents and grand-parents even longer. It made sense that none of the kingdoms would want to declare war on each other when there was an enemy just outside their doors, waiting to trample everything down.

But the whole concept of the Grimm being peace keepers was not the only thing that irked him.

As she had so earnestly explained her view on things, he noticed how she had said 'your world' and 'my world'. It was as though she counted herself as not being of Remnant — which would be impossible. But she had shown no traces of mockery; she really did consider herself to not be of this world. That only added to the heap of questions already forming in his mind.

It seemed that, with every new information he learned about this particular human, a thousand new questions arose. She proved herself to be an enigma, and a complicated one at that. But then again, he loved a good challenge.

* * *

The girl remained quiet for the rest of the evening, as did Adam. They consumed their meal in silence and she was the first to retire for the evening. The Faunus hovered by the fire, once more going through all of the information the human had divulged today.

It all made sense, but the application of it would be difficult. Especially regarding the part of humans showing respect to the Grimm. At the moment, they weren't even capable of showing some respect to Faunus, so he guessed that the whole humans-and-Grimm-living-in-harmony-thing would have to wait for a long while.

But the one question that permeated in his brain was: Who is this girl?

In all his life, he had never met someone like her. She saw the world completely differently — as though she really were not of Remnant — and sometimes spoke in mysterious ways.

But the point was: she was an interesting human, and if Adam did not want to return to Spike with empty hands, he would have to learn more about her and her powers.

* * *

 **Edited 02/07/2017**

 **Again, I re-wrote the entire thing, but nothing major has changed. Maybe just a few tweaks here and there.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	22. Chapter 22: Trauma

**ATTENTION TO ALL READERS:**

 **THIS IS A NEW CHAPTER THAT I ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO PUT INTO THE SEQUEL. DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT CHANGES THE FLOW OF THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS, I ADVISE TO WAIT UNTIL I HAVE EDITED THEM SO THAT THEY WILL BE MUCH MORE APPLICABLE IN THE FLOW OF THE STORY.**

 **YOU CAN, HOWEVER, ALSO READ THE NON-EDITED CHAPTERS. IT WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING – IT WILL JUST BE A BIT OFF OF A READ.**

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Trauma**

The day was ridden with rain and wind, so Serena had decided to stay indoors. The food she had conserved from previous times would suffice for her patient and herself, and if not, then she still had some canned goods she could offer.

Since the weather did not allow for much to be done, the girl had decided to return to her meditation. Ever since the unexpected guest had stumbled into her life she had neglected the daily meditations that she used to do in favor of tending to the Faunus. But his wounds were better now, so she could finally find the peace she needed to meditate.

She felt the Faunus' eyes follow her as she made her way to the exit of the cave, and felt his surprise when she plopped down on the solid floor cross-legged. She paid him no heed, taking in a measured breath. Placing her fingers atop her knees and folding her hands so that her thumb and pointer finger were touching, she closed her eyes and let the sound of the rain wash over her.

These were the moments she felt the most at ease, at peace. The whole world around her faded out, and all she could hear were the sound of her own heartbeat and — in this case — the dripping of the rain.

The sounds of the Faunus cleaning his gun intruded into her mind, and Serena pushed the noise back, trying to concentrate on anything else. But the motions and sounds were so rhythmical, she soon stopped trying to banish them and instead included them in her practice.

The sounds persisted for a few more minutes, then abruptly stopped. She heard something click, and then a sudden explosion flew by her head and outside, into the rain. Her eyes tore open at the noise, and she looked at the man who now held a smoking gun in his hands, looking at it critically. But that was not what had frightened her as much.

The sound was the exact same one as when the plane had broken through the frozen Potomac and then in two.

Serena suddenly grasped at her chest, noticing how out of breath she seemed when she'd done nothing to warrant the effect. She rather heard than felt the short gasps leave her mouth, and gulped a few times, trying to ease the pain in her throat and chest. But that only made it worse, and she felt her heart slamming erratically against her rib-cage, as though it was trying to shatter the bones and escape her torso.

"Hey."

The sound of spoken words reached her as though she were under water, and she only grasped harder at her chest, her knuckles turning as white as the bone plates on Napoleon's back. She noticed her eyesight deteriorating, and everything became unfocused, blurring in front of her.

"Hey, you okay?"

Serena managed to look up and at the one that had spoken, only able to identify a blurred human shape with red hair before the loss of oxygen took its toll and she collapsed to the side.

* * *

Adam's finely tuned ears picked up the girl's heavy breathing, and he glanced over at her. She was still sitting on the floor, but something was off about her. She was grasping her chest with one hand while the other unconsciously wandered to her throat, shaking lightly. He noticed the sudden paleness of her skin and felt a sliver of worry spread out inside him.

"Hey," he called to her, but she did not react to his voice. Whatever kind of attack it was she was having, it seemed like she was unable to register anything from outside.

The worry inside him grew — this was unusual for him; he was not the type to worry about someone else's well-being — and he stood up slowly, placing Wilt and Blush on his seat. He watched how her eyes flitted around but never focused on any specific point.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, stepping closer. This time, she actually looked up at him and he froze at the sheer terror and pain that was written in her eyes. Then, she tipped to the side, and her body slammed onto the hard ground.

 _Fuck,_ Adam cursed in his mind, marching over to the human. She was still gasping, almost choking. It looked as if she was having a sort of panic attack, though he did not know why. There had not been anything to instigate such a violent reaction.

 _Maybe…_

The whole thing had started when he'd fired a test shot to see if Wilt still worked fine. Maybe that was the trigger for this. Although he wondered why — sure, a shot was loud, but not loud enough to cause this.

Another desperate gasp for air and he returned his focus on the human still lying on the floor. She looked to be in severe pain, and he was not sure how to help her. He did the next best thing and — without really thinking, though he would later on hit himself for it — pulled her head into his lap, turning her so that she was looking at him.

Her eyes were screwed shut and her hands were still grasping at her chest. He feared that she might black out from her erratic breathing. "Calm down," he commanded, speaking loudly in hopes she would hear him. "You're breathing too fast; you need to calm down. Take slow breaths."

* * *

The only thing Serena could hear were the sounds of the crash, the plane hitting the water and splitting in two… and then the screams. They echoed in her mind, like ghosts she was trying to run away from, but that did not let up. She felt tears building up in her eyes, and clutched her chest in hope of crushing the agony she was feeling.

Then she felt hands on either side of her body, and felt how she was turned to that she was lying on her back and no longer with her face pressed into the dirt. Then the same set of hands placed themselves on either side of her head. She lost contact with the ground for a moment before feeling something soft and warm beneath her.

Sounds were slowly penetrating the blackness that surrounded her. She identified it as a voice. It was so warm, so welcoming. Instinctively, she reached for it, trying to grasp it in the hell she was reliving. She felt warm skin beneath her fingertips and, finally, the words the voice was uttering became clear.

"That's right; just breathe."

She recognized the deep baritone, but instead of the usual gruff edge she had come to know so well she was sure she could recognize him anywhere solely by the sound of his voice, there was a tinge of warmth, of kindness. Serena no longer concentrated on the words spoken, but simply on the voice.

Gradually, she came back into awareness. She released the hold she'd had on one of his arms and rested both hands on the ground, the sturdy feeling of it giving her the feeling that she would not be sucked back into that nightmare.

The voice had quieted the minute she had removed her hands, and already she longed to hear him speak like that once more. It was so much nicer to hear him being kind than being his usual irritating self.

She slowly blinked her eyes open and stared into deep red ones. Unlike she would normally have done when she'd been so close to a member of the opposite sex, she maintained the eye-contact. It gave her something to focus on, and his eyes really were such a magnificent shade of red.

To her surprise, he did not attempt to break the eye-contact and remained in place, letting her rest on what she only now realized was his lap. Normally, she would have blushed, but she was so exerted from the panic attack she's just experienced that she was content to simply remain like this — quiet and close to him.

* * *

 **ADDED 05/07/2017**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**

* * *

 **I had the idea to put this in the sequel that I'm working on, but then I thought that it would actually be better to add it as a completely new chapter. As you may have recognized, Serena was hyperventilating. I'm not an expert on how such an attack** **usually progresses, but I saw it once in _Naruto_ and I hope that it's close enough to the real thing.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoyed this new chapter. If you did, like and review!**


	23. Chapter 23: Questions

**Chapter 23: Questions**

They remained in this position for a little longer until the man began to shift uncomfortably. Serena broke her eye-contact with him and only then did she realize that she was lying on his _lap_ , oh God! Blushing crimson, her head shot up like a projectile and she scooted away from him.

Oh God, she'd been lying on his lap contently all this time! _Oh dear Gods, if you exist, then please, let me disappear into the floor,_ she prayed silently. But, as usual, nothing happened and the girl was left to blush at her in her defense totally unintentional — He was the one who'd laid her head on his lap! — act.

 _But oh God, he's shirtless!_

Even if he irritated the hell out of her, Serena was still very much a young teenage girl. And, as such, she noticed things like strong arms and toned bodies. The fact that he was still running around without a shirt on, and that her eyes peaked at him each time he moved did _not_ ease her own embarrassment.

She watched with great curiosity as he simply got up, staggering for a minute — she was sure his legs had fallen asleep because of her, damn it — before making his way over to his place at the fire. Intrigued by his silence, Serena got up as well and joined him, taking her usual seat that put her on the opposite side of the fire.

"What was that?" he finally asked.

Serena internally sighed. Of course he'd want to know why she'd been having a panic attack — though she was surprise that he waited this long until he asked. Raking her mind for an explanation, she let her eyes rest on the fire, hoping it would aid her in some way.

"It's… complicated." His stare told her that the meager answer was not enough to satisfy him. She let out a long sigh before explaining, "It has to do with the way I came into this world."

"Came into this world?" he repeated confusedly, one eyebrow arched.

"You see, I'm not really what you'd call from this planet or dimension, or whatever this is. I'm from another universe, if you will. Actually, I come from a planet called Earth, where I lived in Phoenix in the State of Arizona."

* * *

The moment she said she was not from this planet or whatever, Adam thought she meant to humor him. He was on the brink of interrupting her ridiculous farce when she continued to explain. But when she further explained, he couldn't help himself.

He laughed. Not only at her, but at the whole seriousness with which she said the words. Suddenly, the conversation they'd had a few days prior came back into his mind. Back then, she'd also said things such as 'my world' and so on.

He carefully regarded her. If what she was saying was the truth, then she would be able to explain how she got "into this world". He decided to test that theory.

"So," he continued slowly, "If you're not from here, then how did you get here?"

Her eyes turned a darker shade of blue — the darkest he'd seen them yet — and her eyebrows wrinkled. Her face grew a little pale and for a moment, he thought she'd have another attack. But there was no gasping for breath, so he assumed that it was something else.

"I died."

The words were spoken quietly, but the message they contained slapped him as though she'd just yelled them into his ear. _What does she mean 'died'? She sits right in front of me; she cannot be dead._

"I was on a plane, on my ride back home. But before we could even really take off, we fell into a frozen river. The entire thing broke in two, and many people were already dead. When I tried to get out, something from the plane had stabbed me. As a result, I drowned in the river."

"And how did you get here?" he asked, since her explanation made no sense to him so far.

"Honestly, I have no idea. All I do know, is that I woke up in the middle of this forest. How and why I was brought here is beyond me, but I'm glad that I'm not dead," she finished.

* * *

Serena could see the lingering doubt in the man's eyes. She couldn't blame him though. If someone were to tell her such a story, she'd call the police and probably accuse them of being mad.

"And you expect me to believe this crap?" his angered voice spoke.

She did not want another dispute with him after he'd helped her. So, instead of battling it out orally with him, she simply stood up and lifted her shirt. The scar that ran across her abdomen and the one located on her right side were proof enough. The fact that she was technically exposing her entire upper body seemed to bother him little as she watched him observe them critically.

He seemed satisfied when he gave a curt nod and averted his eyes, for which she left out a quiet sigh of relief before replacing her shirt. She sat back down and watched him. There seemed to be conflict in his mind, since his eyes kept on flicking around, never once staying still.

"How old are you?"

The question completely caught her off guard, and Serena blinked a few times before answering, "Nineteen…" Again, his eyes shifted around and she could not help herself but ask, "And you? How old are you?"

"Twenty-two," he mumbled absent-minded. Her guess was that he was still pre-occupied with whatever was swirling around in his mind and hadn't really thought about her question. But she was, nonetheless, glad that he answered; one more thing she now knew about him. It made him less of a stranger to her.

* * *

Adam contemplated the information carefully. It certainly did not make sense that someone from another world or dimension would suddenly end up here. What bothered him more, though, was the fact that she was actually a dead person. Adam Taurus was a person of logic, so he had a hard time accepting the fact that, technically, he was talking with a ghost.

The question about her age had been one of pure curiosity, and he had a tendency to voice his mind without much thought. At least now he had a few more answers regarding this very special, very peculiar human.

Another question popped up. "Hey," he spoke, catching her attention. "Why did you help me?"

A look of surprise flashed across her face and she replied in a dumbfounded voice, "You were hurt."

"I know that, but why did you help me? Why did you save my life? I know you know about us Faunus. And about the White Fang," he explained, slightly irritated by her slow mind.

"Ah!" Her face lit up with understanding and she snipped a finger. "That's what you're getting at! Well, you certainly are correct. I know about both the White Fang and the Faunus. Though I don't quite understand why that should keep me from helping you."

Adam felt his eyebrow twitch and he was about to lash out at her again, but she prevented him from doing so as she continued.

"I mean, for me, there is no difference between Human, Faunus, or a member of the White Fang. I do know that the White Fang is a sort of terrorist group…" She looked at him, expecting him to berate her for calling them terrorists. He didn't and she continued. "But, honestly, I'm not the kinda person that just lets someone die when I can help it. Like I said, there's no difference between us."

The explanation surprised him, but Adam kept it from showing on his face. Truly, she was different from any human he'd met in his life. Perhaps it was because she came from a different dimension?

"I meant to ask, and I'm sorry if I intrude onto something private, but what's it like? In the White Fang, I mean?" he heard her quiet voice ask shyly.

What was it like? It certainly wasn't a field trip. The missions were dangerous, the training rigorous, and the expectations high. Additionally, he had to spend time with brainless moron whose only asset were their strength. Only a handful of Faunus — mostly the high-ranked ones like himself — possessed enough brains to be called decent company.

He told her as much. What caught him off guard once more — she was doing that a lot he noticed begrudgingly — was when she giggled at his words.

"I didn't think this to be funny," he said monotonously, and his voice must have held some of the confusion and irritation he felt at her laughing.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, smothering down another giggle. "I'm not laughing at you or anything. It's just…" She stocked for a moment before muttering, "It sounds like a lot of fun."

"Fun?" He arched an incredulous brow.

"In a way. I mean, you get to go together on missions, you can spar with each other, and you can share a meal when you want to. And you're never lonely; there's always someone close-by. It's lively, you know."

It took him a moment before he understood — she envied him. She envied him for the human company and interaction she seldom got. She must be incredibly lonely if she was jealous of him. In a way, it was quite sad.

The Faunus shook his head, banning the thought as soon as it had popped up in his mind. _No fraternizing with the enemy,_ he reminded himself. She was human, and as such, she was his enemy, and that of the White Fang. It would bring him little if he started to feel sympathy for her now.

"Anyway," her once more cheery voice interrupted his battling mind. "I think it's time I properly introduced myself." She gave him a sheepish smile before standing up. Walking around the fire, he blinked when she stood by his side and stretched out her hand for him to take. "I'm Serena Cauldron, pleased to meet you."

It took him a moment before he grasped her hand in his — gods, she had small hands — and gave it a solid shake, standing up as well. He was not uncivilized, and knew when to be polite. And since she was making the effort, he assumed that he might as well do one.

"Adam. Adam Taurus."

She gave him another small but radiant smile. Then she offered him another cup of her home-made tea and he accepted. They engrossed themselves in some more talk, mostly hear telling him what her world was like. And even though he didn't show it, he liked the small smile that played upon her lips whenever she talked of her family or friends.

But he reminded himself: No fraternizing with the enemy. Even if the enemy was a lonely girl.

* * *

 **Edited 07/07/2017**

* * *

 **Once again, I decided to simply re-write the entire thing.**

 **This time, I decided to make this all into one chapter, so that there will be no more confusion. Hope you liked and enjoyed the read. Do comment if you did or did not.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. All I do own are my OC and the idea and plot of the non-canon parts of the story.**


	24. Chapter 24: Trust

**Chapter 24: Trust**

Serena woke up like every morning; with the first rays of sunlight. She quietly got up and looked over to the male who was taking up her bed and was still sleeping soundly. She was always the first of the two to rise which gave her enough time to take a bath and get dressed without worrying about him seeing her in any indecent way. She took out her black shorts and a black top with some undergarments. Pulling her cloak, because it was still fresh in the morning, over her pajama which consisted of a simple pair of loose pants and top, she secured the cloak over her body and began her trek to the little pond. The path to it was clean and she did not need shoes, the leaves and earth soft under her feet.

Quickly brushing her teeth and washing her hair, she pulled on her clothes and padded back to the cave, drying her short black hair with a towel. It was a good thing she had short hair, seeing there was no electricity and longer hair would take ages to dry. Brushing her hair once to make it look presentable, she pulled on her stockings and boots and walked outside. Adam was still sleeping and she was greeted by Ajax, who always came over at this time, before starting her daily morning practice, running her course and then training her gymnastics. When she got back inside, she saw that her guest was up, running a hand through his tousled red hair. She noted to herself that she should check his injury and see how it was coming along.

"Good morning," she greeted, walking over to the eggs which lay, safely stacked in a carton, on one of the rocks in the kitchen. She received a small grunt in response and immediately set to cracking the eggs open in a bowl and mixing them. Adding some pepper and salt, she poured the liquid into a pan that she had set on the fire.

"Could you get two plates and cutlery please?" she asked while stirring the eggs, not wanting them to burn. Adam quietly and without response got what she asked for and a minute later they were sitting both in their respective spots by the fire and eating their omelette. The sound of metal meeting porcelain was the only sound that filled the air, both eating in silence.

"I'll have to check your wound today, see how it's doing. If it's healed enough, maybe you could take a bath. It's already been five days and I guess you want to clean up," she said, picking some egg onto her fork. It was not that he smelled or anything, but she guessed that he must be feeling pretty uncomfortable. She herself could not go a day without washing her hair and by the look he gave her, he was the same.

"Okay," was the only reply she received before he looked back to his breakfast and continued eating.

It was twenty minutes later that he was sitting on her bed, back to the wall and her hovering in front of him. Serena observed the wound carefully; the flesh had mended some and she guessed that, if she put on fresh bandages afterwards, it would be okay for him to take a bath.

"I guess we can risk it. The skin has mended some, though not fully, but I'm sure that a little bath won't hurt. But just in case, you should leave on the bandages so that it won't reopen. I'll change them after you're done, okay?" she told him, wrapping the bandages around the wound again.

Adam nodded once and grabbed Wilt & Blush again when she was done, putting on the red shirt that she'd bought him before once again cleaning his weapon. He briefly wondered how she knew what size he had, but he guessed that she had simply checked his previous, now torn shirt and gotten the size from it. Both his sword and gun were spick-and-span, but since there was nothing else to do for him, he cleaned it yet again.

The girl went outside, taking her stick with her and he could hear her talking to the Grimm, Ajax, when she exited the cave. She always disappeared into the forest around this time of day and came back some hours later with food. Once, she had even brought back a whole deer and he could almost not believe his eyes. Everyone always said that the animals had been scared away by the Grimm, but there she had been, a whole deer resting on the back of the Grimm that always accompanied her. His eyes had almost budged out of his skull and she had laughed at the face he had made. He could still remember what she had said back then.

 _"Yes, this is a deer. I know that everyone thinks that the animals got scared away, but they're wrong. There are still enough animals in the forest here, you just have to look for them."_

 _"But why did you kill a deer? There is too much meat, it will go to waste."_

 _He had never before worried about food or if some would be left over, but here, it was different. Back in the White Fang, the food had always been abundant and he could cook for himself in the kitchen that was designated for the higher-ranked members. The only thing he had to do was go to the chefs and ask them for what he needed, be it fish or meat._

 _But this girl lived from what she hunted, as primitive as it might be, and until then they had only eaten fish or dried meat that she had bought in Vale. Never before had she come back with an animal this big and he was honestly questioning just what she planed on doing with the left over meat. Sure, Ajax could eat it, but still._

 _"Don't worry. We'll eat as much as we can and then I'll smoke the rest of it. Besides, you'll need something else than just dried meat and fish. It will help your wound heal better and I have eaten so much fish in the time I've been here that I'm willing to kill this one animal so that we can live off it for a few days."_

 _She had skinned and cleaned the poor animal afterwards and roasted it in the fire. Adam had never eaten deer before but he had to admit that it tasted good. And if it helped him in getting better than it was worth it._

The girl reentering the cave brought him back to the present and he looked over to see her holding a basket filled with fish in her hands. She placed her stick back to where it belonged and went over to the big stone in the kitchen. Emptying the basket, she set to work and skinned and prepared them.

"I guess we'll be having fish for dinner again," she said while cutting off another head and throwing it to the Grimm who devoured it hungrily. Another thing which surprised Adam was that Grimm could actually eat normal food.

"Dinner?"

He looked outside and, sure enough, the sun was starting to lower again, making the red leaves radiate in an even redder shade. He hadn't noticed that time had flown by this quick. Putting away his two weapons, he got up and walked over, positioning himself opposite the human to watch her while she was preparing their food.

"Can I help?"

He felt useless, juts sitting around and doing nothing and above anything else he was bored too. Figuring that he could at least busy himself, even if it was by making dinner, he strode up to her and asked. She paused her movements and looked up at him, blinking once. It was the first time he had asked to help her and she was surprised.

 _Don't just stand there. Say something!_ she mentally told herself, jerking out of her confusion. Giving him the knife, she told him to cut the fish while she would get water. He nodded and immediately got to work, handling the knife skillfully and swiftly, working faster than she had. She grabbed the bucket and went out to get water. Upon retuning she saw that he was finished and she gaped. _Just how fast did he cut those?!_

"Anything else?" he asked, turning so he was facing her. She cleared her throat and then put the bucket on the ground.

"If you wouldn't mind, you could wash-"

"Serena! I'm back!"

The sudden sound of a high voice and the approaching footsteps made both tense up. Serena instantly recognized the voice to be Ruby's, remembering that the younger girl had said that she would visit her once a week. Adam went over to the bed and grabbed his weapon, but Serena stopped him by putting her right hand atop his, stopping him in going outside. He glared at her, but she only shook her head and used her strength to lower his hand which was still clasping the weapon.

"She's not an enemy, just a friend. Hide behind that rock," she pointed to a big rock that was at the far back of the cave and used rarely. "She won't see you there."

Adam hesitated, not sure if he could really trust her to not rat him out, but after holding her eyes for a moment longer and realizing that he really had no other choice, he went behind the rock and sat down, his body disappearing in the shadows that it cast over him. Serena sighed in relief before smiling when Ruby appeared at the opening of the cave.

"Hey Ruby," she greeted, walking over and motioning for the younger girl to get inside and take a seat. Ruby did so after greeting Ajax who was sniffing her, taking a seat so that she had her back turned to the back of the cave and was looking outside. "What brings you here?" Serena asked as she handed a cup of tea to her guest.

"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine. How are Yang and the others? Anything new from Beacon?" Serena inquired, taking a sip from her cup.

"Not much, though they are all busy in preparing for the Vytal Festival that's in two weeks. Yang's totally hyped up about it, she can finally fight other students who are strong. Blake and Weiss are still the same, though Weiss has gotten a bit more sassy."

Adam's breath caught in his throat. Blake. So his former partner was now part of Beacon Academy. He had not expected her to become a Huntress. And she was on the same team as this bubbly girl. He was surprised to know that Blake would actually willingly live among humans, but she had always been soft. No doubt did she still hide her cat ears like before. As if she were ashamed of being a Faunus.

"Vytal Festival?" Serena asked, arching one eyebrow up. She had no idea what that was since it had never been mentioned in the book she had read.

"Oh yeah, you probably don't know it. It's a big festival in which the four kingdoms come together and celebrate their cultures with dances. And there will also be a tournament in which students from all around the world will be competing against each other. It's a pretty big event and everyone is really nervous," Ruby explained, her eyes sparkling in anticipation and excitement.

"I guess Yang isn't the only one excited, huh?" Serena commented with a small laugh. Ruby only laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of her head.

"Yeah. Maybe you could come too. There will be so many people that you won't be noticed by the military or anyone. And my team really wants to meet you after they heard about you."

"Maybe I'll come, though I can't promise anything. I'm a little busy at the moment so…"

Serena's eyes immediately widened when she realized her mistake. Adam tensed up behind the rock, still hiding from sight and sucked in a breath. If she rated him out now, then he would be in trouble.

"Oh really? What's got you so busy?" Ruby inquired innocently, not expecting that her friend was actually hiding a so-to-say criminal. He had, after all, attacked people and trains and whatnot.

"Uh… I encountered some new Grimm and they prove to be a little difficult, so I'm busy training with them," Serena quickly made up. It was a believable lie and by the look Ruby was giving her she believed it.

"Well then; I wish you good luck with them."

"Thanks." They conversed some more until it was getting dark.

"I guess I better go back to Beacon. Miss Goodwitch so does not like it when we stay out late and she's scarier than a Grimm when she's angry." Ruby involuntarily shivered at the thought of the teacher. The last time she had come back late, she had been given a good, long lecture and had to go to detention.

"No problem. Take Ajax with you, he'll accompany you for some of the way," the older girl said, whistling for the Grimm who came only three seconds later. Saying their goodbyes, Ruby left and Serena waved until she could no longer see the red cloak through the trees.

"You can come out again; she's gone," she told Adam who appeared not a second later.

"Why didn't you tell her I was here?" he questioned, scowling at her back. She was still looking into the forest and for a moment he almost thought she hadn't heard him. She did not move and only looked up at the sky, stars beginning to show.

"Why should I? You're my guest. And my friend," came the quiet reply, her breath visible in the cool night air.

It was then that he decided that he could trust this human. At least a little.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Not much to say so… Review please! And thanks to those who already have; always happy to hear from you guys!**


	25. Chapter 25: Deal

**Chapter 25: Deal**

"I have an idea."

Adam lifted his head, looking at the girl who sat opposite him, eating her share of fish with carrots and potatoes. After Ruby's little visit, she had resumed making dinner and they were now both consuming their meal, eating in silence like most of the time. It was when he was about to take some more fish when the girl in front of him uttered the words. He paused his movement and looked at her.

"What would that idea be?" he questioned, curious what she had in mind.

"How about we make a deal?"

He was confused. What kind of deal would she be thinking about? And why would she even want to make one? He stayed quiet and waited for her to explain her proposition and this so-called deal that she had in mind.

"I teach you how to treat Grimm so that they won't kill you…"

He lifted his eyebrows. It would definitely come in handy if he knew how to deal with the creatures and would spare him a lot of time which would usually be spent fighting them. But if she was going to show him something, then she must have something in mind that he could teach her.

"…and you teach me some fighting."

 _So that's what she has in mind,_ he mused.

"What kind of fighting?"

"Just some normal things. Like some kicks, punches and other moves that you can do. I know that you're a good fighter, so I figured that I could learn some things from you," she cleared up, looking at him expectantly.

"Why would you say that?" He had never been fighting with her nor met this girl before, so how could she tell that he was good at it.

"Isn't it obvious? You managed to survive a Grimm attack in which you were clearly outnumbered. Plus, I figured that the White Fang wouldn't have some incompetent people be high-ranked members. I think I can learn some things from you, if you're willing to accept."

He contemplated her offer. It certainly would not hurt to show her some moves, of course not the really good ones. He would keep those to himself. But still… He did trust her more, yes, but he was still wary. If he had learned one thing after being in the White Fang for so long, then it was to never let your guard down. People could seem to be totally harmless, but they could also stab you in the back first chance they got. Spike had always told him to never trust people, especially humans, completely. He had said it so often that it was now drilled into Adam's head and he didn't doubt the words.

As an afterthought she added, "I guess it's better than just sitting around and doing nothing."

This, however, got him hooked on. She had a point; it would do him no good just sitting and waiting to be able to return to HQ. He was bored and welcomed the chance of getting outside and actually doing something productive. Plus, he wouldn't be the only one to give something. She would show him just how she managed getting those monsters under control and he was, if he was honest with himself, very curious about how she did it.

Serena watched the male contemplate over her offer. She had wanted to ask him this and with the current condition of his wound, she figured that some physical activity was okay, as long as he didn't overdo it. And if she was honest, she had wanted to teach him how to handle Grimm. He had been hurt so bad by them that she figured it would only help if he knew how to avoid such injuries in the future. And she would also be able to learn some real fighting, not just some kicks mixed in with her gymnastics.

In her conscience, she knew that she was only looking for a way for him to stay a little longer and actually remember her. She enjoyed his company, even if they did not talk as much as she did with Ruby, but she enjoyed it nevertheless. It was nice having someone there when you woke up and to eat dinner with you. Only now did she realize just how lonely she had actually been these past three months.

"Alright," he finally said and she shouted a small 'yay!', jumping up from her seat, almost spilling her dinner on the floor and on her pants. He looked at her owlishly and she blushed a little at the sudden outburst, clearing her throat and sitting down again.

"I mean, good. What should we start with?" she asked, trying to recompose herself, reverting back to the calm facade she usually had. "I guess it would be best to start with the Grimm. Just in case your wound hasn't healed enough for the fighting. I don't want it to reopen," she said, her eyebrows furrowing slightly at the possibility.

"Sure, whatever you say doc."

Serena blushed at the comment and smirk that she got from him, quickly going back to eating her fish. They finished up and she showed him where the pond was before leaving him alone, placing a towel and a pair of boxers, that she had bought with a lot of blood rushing to her face, on a tree branch that hung near it.

"Just call if there's something," she said, disappearing back behind the trees and reentering her home. Adam quickly took off his clothes, mindful not to touch his chest and wadded into the water. Sinking down, the wound stung a little but it subsided after a few minutes and he relaxed, enjoying the feel of the warm water on his skin. He really had missed taking a bath.

He looked around a little. She really had it nice here. The pond was big, the waterfall creating a soft, constant music and the trees hiding it from view, although he did doubt that there were many passerby's around here. Grabbing a little bottle that had 'shampoo' written on it, he squeezed some of it into his hand, noticing the floral scent that wafted into his nose.

 _She's a girl alright,_ he thought before starting to rub the liquid into his hair, his horns peaking into his hands slightly. Going to the small waterfall, he put his head under it, letting the water rush over it.

He mentally asked himself what had made him call her 'doc' and give her that smirk. He was getting too close to her and he told himself that he should keep his distance. He would soon be back in the White Fang HQ and she would be nothing more than a distant memory. But he still had to say that he did not mind her company as much as he had thought he would at the beginning. She was friendly and kind, always calm and had, after all, saved his life. He guessed that he owed her, which was also probably what had led him to agree to her offer.

Finishing up, he put on his clothes again, drying his hair with the towel that she had left behind. When he got back, she was sitting by the fire again, staring off into the flames. At the sound of him putting the towel near the fire, she looked up and smiled slightly, although he did not know what for.

"You're done," she said, eyes fixing on his hair that was still a little damp. "Let me check your wound."

Knowing the drill, he sat down on the bed and let her do her work, noticing how carefully she unwrapped the bandages. She seemed to know some medicine which surprised him, considering she was still so young and had not studied it at all.

"It's all okay. I'll give you another bandage and with some luck, it will be healed in about a week. Let me see your head. It should have healed by now."

She moved her hands up, touching the knot that was at the back of his head and kept the bandages in place. Loosening it, she unwrapped them and looked at his forehead. The wound had completely healed and only a faint scar indicated where it had once been. She nodded to herself, satisfied that she hadn't messed it up.

"All good here. There's only a small scar left, but other than that it's all healed up. I guess the only thing left is your chest wound. After that one has healed, you can go back home," she told him, discarding the used bandages in the fire. Even with her back turned to him he did not miss the hint of sadness that snuck its way into her voice at the last sentence. He could understand; she would be all alone again with only the Grimm as her company and that girl visiting sometimes.

 _It must be lonely, all alone…_

He shook his head, clearing it of the thought. He did not feel empathy for her nor did he care for her. She re-wrapped his torso in a clean set of bandages and told him that she would go to sleep.

"Same here," he said. Lying down, he pulled the blankets over himself, hearing her do the same and soon dozed off, wondering what she had in store for him tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Thank you for the reviews; I'm getting more with every new chapter which makes me pretty happy. Keep 'em coming!**

 **So, she's going to teach him some things about Grimm. Well, I hope you're looking forward to the next chapters. I can't believe that I already wrote 25 chapters. And I'm not even done yet! Anyway, reviews are greatly appreciated as always and thank you to all the people who followed/favorited this story.**


	26. Chapter 26: Hassle

**A little extra for Christmas: a double update!**

 **I wish all of you a Merry Christmas!**

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Hassle**

"Alright. The first thing you need to do in order for Grimm to be able to accept and like you, is to not wear that weapon when you're near them," Serena said, pointing at the blade and gun that Adam held in his hand, resting at his side. They were currently still within the confines of the cave and the younger female had immediately stopped him upon seeing his weapon.

Today was the first day that she would be using to teach him how to handle and 'control', as he liked to call it, Grimm. It was a nice spring day, sun out and a light wind rustling the leaves of the numerous trees spread around them. Serena was wearing her usual black shorts, black over-knees and combat boots, combined with a red t-shirt. Adam was wearing the new black pants she had bought him along with the red shirt and his black shoes.

"I never leave my weapon behind," the Faunus countered, not really wanting to let go of the weapon which had served him well for many years. In the White Fang, everyone always carried their weapon with them no matter where they went. So it was clear that now, when he was told to leave it, he was reluctant to do so.

"I'm afraid you'll have to this time," Serena replied, a slight frown marring her gentle expression, voice a little more serious than before. "They won't acknowledge you otherwise. You have to seem like a friend, not like someone who is ready to kill them. If you bring the weapon with you, they'll attack you without a doubt. And you're not ready yet for fighting a whole pack."

"But if I get attacked and have nothing to defend me with, then I'll just get killed," he argued, thinking that that would change her mind. It did, however, not have the desired effect.

"That won't happen. Not as long as I'm there. Now leave your weapon here. I won't start training unless you do so."

She said this with a finality to her tone, making it obvious that she would no longer argue about this. He either followed her directions or had to find something else to do for the rest of the day.

Sighing and giving up, Adam went back to the bed he used and placed Wilt & Blush on it, walking back over to the human again. She nodded once in satisfaction and then turned around, starting to walk into the forest. He looked at his weapon once before following her. They passed several trees and went deeper into the forest, her not saying anything and him doing the same. Only when they arrived at a big clearing did she stop in the middle of it, making him pause a few feet away from her.

"Good. I'm going to call my friend, Ajax, now. He'll be your partner in learning how to gain the trust of Grimm," she told him before putting her right thumb and forefinger into her mouth and whistling once.

They waited and looked to the side when they heard several leaves and branches rustling before the Grimm appeared, slowing down. Going over to the girl, it nuzzled her cheek and licked her face once in greeting, her patting its head and tickling its ears. Adam watched the exchange carefully, amazed at how harmless the creature seemed to be when it was with her. Only when the two stopped playing did it seem to notice him and growled lowly, the sound sounding like a warning.

"It's okay Ajax. He's a friend of mine, he's nice," she soothed the animal, caressing its snout in slow movements. She looked over to him and gestured for him to come closer. "He won't do anything now, but I suggest not moving too fast. He's not yet used to you and if you do anything rash then he will attack. Just walk slowly and put one hand out so that he can smell you when you're close enough," she instructed, still soothing the Grimm at her side.

Adam gulped once and did as told, feeling his heart beat rapidly in his chest and sweat trickling down his temple. He was, for once in his life, quite nervous. Sure, he'd done a lot more dangerous things before, but at those times he had always had some form of backup or at least his weapon with him. Right now, he had neither of both and the only one who could help him was the girl. And if she did not manage to hold the Grimm back, then he was as good as dead. He could try to run, but he knew he wouldn't get very far.

His heart beat sped up with every new step he took and he always had his eyes focused on the monster that was now only about ten feet away and was still looking at him as if it would rip him apart any second now. It was when he was close enough that the monster could sniff his hand when it happened.

Suddenly, Ajax let out a short howl and lifted his right paw, preparing to strike, pushing the girl aside with his left arm. Adam reacted in a split second, barely dodging the claws that were aiming for his upper body, feeling the air rush by him. He thanked his years of training and fighting for having bestowed him with the reflexes that had now saved his life. Jumping to the side, he rolled on his side once before getting up, yet again dodging claws that were too close for comfort. He briefly glanced over to the human girl, wondering why she hadn't interfered yet.

Serena was pushing herself up from the ground, the power with which Ajax had pushed her aside having sent her to the floor. She had hit her head lightly and could feel it pounding from the impact, though she had more important things to worry about than a small headache. Looking up, she saw Adam jump out of the way of yet another attack, eyes widening when she realized that Ajax was attacking him. It had happened so fast and sudden that she hadn't fully registered what was going on.

Immediately jumping to her feet, she ran over and positioned herself in front of the male, arms stretched out to shield him from whatever attack her furry friend would throw at him. She saw Ajax's eyes widen slowly, but he had already lunged for another attack, the speed too fast for him to stop it now and for her to get out of the way. But he managed to redirect his slash, avoiding injuring her badly. Serena felt the sharp claws tear through the skin of her left arm, hissing in pain and biting her lip to prevent herself from shouting out. She could see the immediate guilt that appeared in her friend's eyes and knew that he had calmed down now.

"It's okay, Ajax," she said kindly, right hand covering the slash that stretched from just beneath her shoulder to over her elbow, trying to stop the bleeding.

Although she was in pain she did not blame Ajax, for he had reacted on instinct, nor Adam who was sitting behind her on the floor, breathing in fast breaths. She could not blame anyone for it was her own fault. She should have seen that he was not ready, that there was something missing for him to be able to get so close to Grimm. If she had someone to blame, then it was herself.

The Grimm began whining, lowering its head, but she went over and patted him with her injured arm, the action sending waves of pain up and down her limb and through her body. The animal lifted its head and sniffed at her wound before tentatively licking it in an attempt to apologize.

"It's okay, it's not your fault. I'm okay, see?" she said, lifting her arm and hiding the pain behind a forced smile. "It doesn't even hurt that much. I'm not mad at you, so you can go home again without worrying. I don't think he's up for it yet," she said, referring to Adam for the last part.

 _No, he's definitely not ready yet._

The Grimm gave her a final lick before disappearing in the forest again, rejoining the rest of its pack. Sighing, the girl walked over to the man who was still sitting on the floor, looking a little shaken, though it was only natural. She let go of her wound and stretched out her right arm, waiting for him to take it. He stared right in front of him a little longer before looking up at her, eyes wide and breathing still a little fast paced. When he didn't react, she bent down and grabbed his hand, pulling him up, or at least trying to, but he got the motion and stood up.

Serena looked at him, analyzing him to try and find out what had made Ajax attack him. She knew that Grimm reacted to all sorts of negativity, so there had to be something that had set Ajax off. He had attack her too at first, but then stopped afterwards. This time, he was trying to kill the male in front of her and didn't let up. It was when she looked into his eyes a little more that she noticed what might have set her friend off.

It was subtle and barely visible, but deep in his eyes, she could see a lot of anger, pain and hatred. A person who did not look for it would not have seen those emotions, but since she had been analyzing him, she had noticed. They were not obvious, more like a controlled anger that burned in those burgundy eyes and rarely showed. She had not once seen him really angry, including the time when he had first waken up after she'd found him and he had pushed her to the wall. There had been anger in them, but not as much as she could see now. Even his voice, although gruff and harsh sometimes, held a calm drawl when he spoke to her.

 _This is going to be more of a hassle than I would have thought. With this much of negative emotions it's going to take some time until he has worked it all out. Until then, he can't go near a Grimm, not when I'm not with him._

Running a hand through her short raven hair, she looked at the ground, debating on just how she was going to do this. With herself it had been something else entirely. She had known why she was sad and had accepted her fate, suppressing the sadness and loneliness that she sometimes still felt. She had had Ajax, Loki and the others to cheer her up and, most of the time, she had actually forgotten all those negative emotions.

But he was a different story.

She knew almost nothing about him, only his name, age and that he was part of the White Fang. She did not know a single thing about his past, why he had so much negativity in him or why he even joined the White Fang in the first place. And she figured that there was more behind it than him wanting Faunus to have more rights.

Adam looked at the girl while she seemed to have an internal conflict, still tense and a little high on adrenaline from the previous attack. He had noticed her staring at him for some moments, a sudden look of realization and then worry flash through her eyes. It was when she started walking past him that he finally snapped out of it, looking behind him to see her walking back in the direction of the cave.

"I think we'll have to postpone this part of training for now. We need to get back for today. I have something different in mind for you," she said vaguely, clutching her arm which he only now noted had a large slash on it. He faintly remembered her running in front of him and felt a slight pang of guilt, but also anger rise inside him. If she had let him take his weapon with him, then this wouldn't have happened. She had no right to blame him for getting injured.

He didn't voice it out loud as he followed her back, though.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Thanks for the reviews so far; really appreciate them!**

 **So, you see, the training will take a little time, although I will not go too deep into detail about it, maybe about 2-3 chapters, don't know yet. Just tell me what you think and thank you to those who are still reading this. It means a lot to me!**


	27. Chapter 27: Balance

**Chapter 27: Balance**

Serena picked up the roll of bandages that she had stowed away, grabbing a towel and bucket. Walking over to Adam who was watching her from the entrance of the cave, she held the bucket out for him to take, asking him to go get some water.

"But take the one from the waterfall, not the one that's already in the pond. It's cleaner when it comes down," she told him and with some reluctance, he did as told and returned minutes later with a bucket full of fresh cool water. "Thank you."

Dipping the cloth inside, she proceeded to cleaning her wound, gritting her teeth when water touched torn flesh but not saying anything. Adam watched from the side as she grabbed the ointment she always put on the wound on his chest and applied some of it onto the cut before wrapping it in bandages. This proofed to be difficult with only one arm and after having watched her fumble with the material long enough, he let out a sigh and walked over, kneeling in front of her so that he was eye-level and taking the roll of bandages from her. She didn't object when he did so and let him take care of it, him wrapping it around the arm before tying it all off with a knot.

"Thanks," she said quietly, noticing how close he had been to her. Even with him crouching down, he still to slightly look down to look her in the eye while she was sitting down on a rock, reminding her that he was much taller than her petite self. He didn't say anything when he got back up and walked over to the fire, sitting down at his usual spot. She busied herself with putting everything away again when his voice drifted over to her.

"What happened back there?" he asked, eyes narrowing at her face. Serena went over and took her place by the fire, stirring it and putting another log inside before looking up at him, eyes calm and focused.

"He noticed it."

He only cocked one eyebrow, not getting what the Grimm had noticed.

"He noticed all the negative emotions that you are feeling. You're not at peace, don't have balance inside you and that's why he attacked. I take it that you know that Grimm are attracted to negative emotions, right?" He nodded and she continued, "Ajax felt those negative emotions within you and reacted to them."

"So you're saying it's my fault?" he questioned, voice raising slightly in volume and eyes turning a lighter shade of red, almost crimson instead of the usual burgundy, indicating that he was angry. She'd noticed that his eyes always grew brighter or darker depending on what mood he was in and briefly wondered if hers were the same before telling herself to focus on the matter at hand.

"No, it's not. It's my fault. I should have seen it and done something different. But I didn't and it almost got you killed. I'm sorry." Her tone held an edge of guilt to it and she looked at him with sad eyes.

"So what now?" he asked, looking at the fire instead of her.

"We need to approach this matter differently. Since you have a lot of negativity in you, we first need to get rid of that before doing anything else. As long as that's not done, I can't let you go near them."

He understood her reasoning; it would be suicide to go near a whole pack of them if they attacked him every time. He was still a little flustered though after her comment. It was not like he could have known that they would attack him if he only felt a little of the negative emotions he harbored inside. He was actually a little surprised that she had figured out that he even carried those emotions with only looking at him. Most people hadn't been able to tell that he felt them since he always kept them hidden, but she had been able to point them out. Though he did wonder what she had in mind for getting rid of them.

"And just exactly how do you want to 'get rid' of those negative emotions?" he asked, making air quotes. It sounded like she wanted to tear them out of him.

"I guess the best way for that to happen is meditation."

"Seriously?" he questioned, one eyebrow lifting in the air, wondering if she really thought that everything could go away if he simply meditated. It sounded far too simple-minded to him, but the look on her face told him that she was in no way joking.

"Yes. It helped me a great deal when I first got here three months ago and I do it ever since back then. You might think it too simple-minded…" _Which it might be,_ she thought to herself, "…but it will do the trick. Besides, I don't think you know any other way to lose all that negativity."

It wasn't a question but a statement and she was right; he knew no other way to do it. So, instead of arguing, he simply scoffed once to show that he still found it a silly idea but agreed nonetheless.

"Good. Then I guess there's no point in just sitting around here. We should get started."

Standing up, she went over to the wall at the left and sat down cross-legged near the entrance of the cave. Patiently waiting for him to do the same, she watched him come over too and sit down beside her, mimicking her position. Closing her eyes, she told him to close his too and take deep breaths while concentrating on those negative emotions.

"You need to see them in front of you. See all the memories that are creating this negative aura around you. Try and accept them, let them go," she instructed, breathing in deeply, her voice calm and soft. He did as told and tried doing so, but it was hard. The memories weren't pleasant and it was anything else but easy to relive and simply accept them. He furrowed his brow in concentration.

"Don't let them get to you," she said when she felt him getting irritated. "They are in the past. There is nothing you can do to alter them. The only thing you can do now is accept that it happened."

"It's not so easy," he retorted, his irritation growing. She made it all sound so easy but it wasn't.

"I know, but you have to. You have to make peace with your soul. Otherwise you'll never be able to let go and gain the trust of Grimm."

So he continued doing so, not noticing how the time passed and soon he was sitting there alone while she was cutting vegetables for their dinner, always checking if he was alright. She knew from experience that it could be a painful experience to go through such memories again, but there was no other way.

"You can stop now. It's enough for one day," she told him when she had prepared dinner, setting the plates on the kitchen rock and putting the frying pan with the meat beside it. Shoveling it onto the plates in equal portions, she saw him open his eyes, blinking several times to get used to the sudden light again. "Dinner's ready. Come eat."

He got up and walked over, both eating in silence. He was still thinking about the memories he'd seen, some of which he had long forgotten, or at least tried to. It was, to his surprise, actually helping. He could feel that he was feeling different and was surprised that such a simple method really did help. They soon went to bed afterwards with him taking another bath and when he came back she was already asleep.

 _She's a clever girl. Though I wonder how long she needed until she was able to control Grimm like she does now._ Ruffling his hair with the towel again to dry it some more, he soon lay down and fell asleep, actually looking forward to the next day with the human girl.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **If some of you are thinking _Oh no, not the technical, boring part again,_ then I can ease your mind. This was the only part where it will be duller. The next one will hold something else, though it's still about controlling Grimm. **

**Looking forward to your review and thoughts on this.**


	28. Chapter 28: Past

**Chapter 28: Past**

They continued on doing this routine: they would eat breakfast together and then both meditate, her going off sometimes to hunt while he continued. Afterwards, they would eat lunch, then meditate again, then eat dinner. He would take a shower and she would already be asleep when he got back. Most people would think that it was boring, doing the same thing every day, but Serena noticed that the meditation seemed to help since she could feel the aura around him lighten up, even if only a little.

After five days, she knew that something had to be still bothering him, keeping him from completely letting go. She had always been good when it had come to reading people and what kind of emotional state they were in, so she thought that she should ask him about it in hope it would help him. So she chose that evening, when they were both sitting at the fire, eating their dinner in the usual silence, to finally attack the matter at hand.

"You're making good progress," she started off, not wanting to overrun him with her sudden question. It always worked best if you first said something positive to make people open up to you a little more. "But I can sense that there's still something bothering you." At this he tensed, eyes fixing on hers with a certain hardness that made it hard to guess what was on his mind.

"I don't know what you mean," he said defensively, not liking that she was trying to dig into something that she was not supposed to know. At least not in his opinion.

"Don't hold me for a fool. I notice that there's something that still makes you harbor negative emotions. You can try to lie and deny it, but I'm not blind."

"It has nothing to do with you," he seethed, growing irritated at the girl's persistence.

"It very much has something to do with me. I told you before that, if you don't get rid of your negative emotions, then Grimm won't hesitate to attack and kill you." She felt like she was a mother talking to her child, scolding it for something. "The only way, apparently, is for you to talk to me. You can try and overcome it, whatever it may be, yourself, but it won't get you far."

"I don't have to tell you anything, human," he spat, his eyes now a lighter red, indicating his growing irritation and the oncoming anger that was building up inside him.

"I thought I made it clear that I don't care if you're a Faunus. Call me what you want but I won't let this matter go so easily. You need to talk about it, otherwise it will eat you up from the inside," she argued, her tone growing stronger and a little louder, highlighting the fact that she wouldn't give up on this no matter what.

It seemed to help since she could see something flicker in his eyes and the next thing she knew he was speaking very loudly at her, not quite shouting but still too loud for it to be considered a normal volume of speaking.

"You wanna know what's bugging me? Fine, I'll tell you. It's the fact that my entire family died and I am the one responsible for it."

This piece of information took her by surprise and it took her a few moments before she registered what he had said and she asked him what he meant by it.

"I mean that my mom, dad and younger sister are all dead and it's my fault. And the damn human who messed up died too, so I can't even get revenge," he finished off, panting slightly from the sudden outburst. Lowering his head, he could still feel her eyes on him before her soft voice spoke.

"Tell me what happened."

And he did.

* * *

 _9 Years Ago_

 _"Mom, dad, look; I got an A in my math test," the younger version of Adam Taurus said excitedly while running up to his mother and father. The older woman grabbed the piece of paper and immediately smiled upon seeing the A scribbled in the right corner of the page. She showed it to her husband who ruffled his son's head, proud of him._

 _"Show me, show me," a younger girl of about seven years said, running up behind her older brother and jumping onto a stool to look at the piece of paper that was still in possession of the brown-haired woman. "Wah, big brother is so smart!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands and smiling brightly at the youngest male._

 _"Nah, it's nothing. It wasn't even difficult, but I guess I am pretty smart, getting first place in the test," Adam declared with a smirk. His father mussed up his hair a little more, igniting a sound of protest from the boy who leapt away and tried fixing his hair again._

 _"Don't be so over-confident Adam. You may be smart but that's not a reason to get cocky," the red-haired male reprimanded him._

 _"Your father's right. Not everyone can be smart. There are people who are better at other things, things that you might not be so good at," his mother cut in, her red eyes fixing on her son's while a gentle smile was still on her face._

 _"Sorry," the boy said, scratching the back of his head._

 _"It's okay, just don't forget it. You-"_

 _His father was cut off by the blaring sound of sirens, the sound so loud that they had to hold their hands to their ears to block out the sound a little. Both children looked around confused, not knowing what the sirens meant. Mother and father immediately got up, grabbed their kids and went outside, running in the direction most people were running: to the air field._

 _"What's going on?!" Lucy, Adam's younger sister, asked her mother, looking around fearfully and almost tripping._

 _"We're under attack," her father replied._

 _"Under attack by whom?!"_

 _"Grimm."_

 _This one word made both kids gulp, shivers going down their backs and eyes widening. They knew exactly what Grimm were, had learned enough about them at school to know that they were monsters that killed humans. Lucy began crying while Adam tried not to panic. He didn't know what to do; never before had they been under attack. Mountain Glenn was supposed to be a new beacon of hope, a new place for humans to live in peace, safe from those creatures._

 _And now it was under attack._

 _The abrupt halting of his father made Adam come back to reality, head whipping up and eyes widening further at the image he was greeted with: they were surrounded by Grimm. At least six Beowolves were around them, blocking off any way of escape, licking their maws in anticipation of the meal that they would soon have._

 _It was when one Grimm sprung in the air that Adam realized that they were all going to die, only for the Grimm to be cut down by someone. The person landed in front of him and his father, a white cloak hugging her form while a black scythe was firmly held in her right hand. The cloak hid the figure's face from them, but he could see that it was a woman. She quickly proceeded to cutting down the other Grimm, but only more and more followed suit._

 _Soon enough, there were tons of them and the woman was no longer able to hold them off and guard the family, she knew this. Quickly turning around, she looked at the four people, before walking up to the father and talking to him._

 _"I can only take one of you at a time to the air field. I won't be able to kill them all, so the only way left is to run. While I get one of you away, I will leave a clone of myself here to protect the remaining people until each of you is save," she explained, her silver eyes hard but her voice calm. Adam's father nodded once before handing her his son, telling her to get him to safety._

 _"Dad, no!" he protested, not wanting to leave his family. Lucy should go first; she was the youngest, so why him? His father only shook his head sadly and off they were and he could only look back, seeing them become more and more surrounded by Grimm._

 _He was set down at the air field and led inside a Bullhead by soldiers, the woman disappearing again. They took off moments later and he was brought to the city of Vale where he waited like the other citizens of Mountain Glenn, hoping his family would be okay. He could still see smoke arising in the distance, indicating that the attack was still not over. It was night by now and his family had not been brought in yet, neither had he heard anything of them._

 _"Are you Adam Taurus?" a man dressed in a military uniform asked as he stopped in front of the thirteen-year-old boy. Adam lifted his head and nodded. "I'm afraid to tell you that your parents and sister have died, as well as the Huntress, Summer Rose, who was trying to protect them. I'm sorry."_

 _He walked away afterwards, leaving a shocked boy behind. Adam's entire body turned numb and he started crying, soon shouting out in pain and grief, yelling so loud that his cries must have been audible for a ver far distance._

* * *

"I lived on the streets from then on, pickpocketing people to buy some food. It was a year later, when I was fourteen, that Spike, the current leader of the White Fang, found and recruited me. He taught me all that I now know and since I was a Faunus and had no one else, I joined him and the organization. I went on missions, gained a position and so on. After three years a cat Faunus named Blake joined and Spike made her my apprentice. She was a smart girl and learned fast, but with time she became soft and she finally betrayed me and the White Fang one year ago," Adam finished off, not lifting his head once. He scoffed at the mention of Blake. "Doesn't matter, she has always been too soft, caring for humans and all that shit. I knew that she didn't really have it in her."

"I'm sorry for what happened. I know how it is to lose your family-"

"You know nothing!"

Serena was a patient person, she really was. But that comment… With that one comment he had crossed the line and she couldn't take it anymore.

She snapped.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Yes, I know that some might think** ** _why did you stop there?!_** **, but I had to. I know that some of you might hate me now for the cliffhanger, but that way you guys will want to read on, so…**

 **Oh, an important thing: The idea of Adam and his family living on Mountain Glenn and Summer Rose being the one who rescued them is NOT from me! I saw it on** ** _JAC OneManBand's_** **channel on** ** _YouTube_** **where he introduced this idea in the video** ** _RWBY Mini-Look: Adam/Summer Theory_** **. I found it logical and decided to take it as the past of Adam, so the credit on that one goes to the one who actually mentioned the theory.**

 **Btw: you should really watch his RWBY videos; they're quite interesting and have a lot of good theories about pretty much anyone and what could happen in the future. So check 'em out. Plus, they're funny, too.**


	29. Chapter 29: Emotions

**In celebration of the new year, I will give you a double update. Happy New Year to all of you! (Even though I'm kind of late)**

* * *

 **Chapter 29: Emotions**

 _"I'm sorry for what happened. I know how it is to lose your family-"_

 _"You know nothing!"_

 _Serena was a patient person, she really was. But that comment… With that one comment he had crossed the line and she couldn't take it anymore._

 _She snapped._

"You think I don't know what it's like?" she asked, her voice a dangerously low tone and Adam realized that he had said too much.

"You think I don't know what it's like to be suddenly ripped apart from your family? Your sister and parents? To suddenly be all alone?!"

She was shouting by now, but she didn't care. She had kept this in for so long that she was finally ready to burst, spilling her emotions on the floor and not holding back.

"Well, listen up! I know exactly what it feels like! You think I was happy suddenly waking up in another world?! Hell no, I wasn't! I thought I had died, thought I had drowned in that damn cold river, but then I suddenly wake up somewhere in the middle of a damn forest and don't know where I am! I thought I was dead, that my parents had lost their daughter! But then, after living here, I suddenly find out that I'm still alive!"

She stood up, her eyes glaring at him and she could see him tense but didn't care. She'd had enough of all this. She wasn't prone to showing her emotions so openly, but she was finished with keeping them to herself. She _needed_ to get this all out.

"Do you know what that was like?! Thinking you're dead only to be told that you're not but are just in some other dimension which shouldn't even be possible! I imagined my parents mourning over an empty grave, had nightmares about it that sometimes kept me awake at night! What do you think that was like?! I was all alone, didn't know where I was and what to do, so I secluded myself from people! I didn't _want_ to be around others because they only reminded me of the family I now no longer have! I was scared and then I run into those monsters and almost get myself killed again!

"And then, to top it all off, I rescue some man in the forest and he doesn't even trust me! You were trying to kill me when you first woke up for God's sake! You treated me like I was garbage, like I wasn't even there and only because I am human! I can't change the fact that you're a Faunus and that people here apparently hate you, but I don't! You're just as much a human as me so stop treating me like I wasn't!"

She was breathing heavily, eyes ablaze and hands balled into fists, shaking with the sudden amount of anger that had overcome her. Adam was looking at her, lips slightly parted and eyes wide. He hadn't expected her to suddenly explode like that; hell, she had always struck him as the calm type. Seeing her like this had completely thrown him off and he didn't know what to say.

Serena could feel tears appearing in her eyes and rubbed at them in anger. Still they came and she ran out of the cave, leaving the shocked male behind and going deeper into the forest. When she was far enough, she stopped, let out a scream and finally let the tears flow. It felt good to finally let go of it all. _I was the one telling him to get rid of negativity when I had a lot of it in me myself,_ she thought. She sat down on a rock and let her head hang, letting her emotions reign freely and not caring anymore if anyone saw her.

Adam was still sitting in his place, mouth still agape and eyes wide. He finally recomposed himself and, thinking about what she had said, felt ashamed. Yes, he felt ashamed. Ashamed for treating her like he did the first few days he had been there. She had taken care of him so well, had treated his wounds and not once said something about him being a Faunus and member of the White Fang and yet he had treated her in such a way.

She knew what the White Fang was, knew what they did. She could have told him to leave, that she would not take care of a criminal, but she hadn't. She had treated his wound and shown him so much kindness that she was almost like a saint. And now she was even willing to teach him something that no one else could. And this was how he repaid her?

 _I really am the worst._

And he had totally forgotten just how young she was. She was only nineteen, three years younger than him, and had gone through a lot in a short span of time. He knew what it was like to lose family, but he didn't know what it was like to lose them, thinking you had died, only to find out that you hadn't and realize that, although you were healthy and alive, you could never see them again. He could only imagine what it would feel like. It was one thing to know that they were dead, but another to never get back to them.

He had forgotten just how emotional and fragile girls tended to be and was amazed that she had all kept it inside her for so long. It seemed like this was the first time she had ever really spoken about how she felt to someone else and he couldn't help but feel that he should have done something to comfort her. He wasn't good at it, he knew that, but was it really so hard to say at least one nice thing?

Deciding that he had the chance to make up for it all now, he got up and went in the same direction that she had left in, following the trace that she had left behind. He spotted her sitting on a rock, body slumped over and head hanging low in defeat. He didn't like to see her like this; she had always held herself with a certain self-confidence, a complete opposite to the position she was in now.

Going up to her, he noticed her body tense at the notion of someone else being there but didn't lift her head to acknowledge his presence. He stopped a foot away from her, mouth opening and closing in search for words, only to realize that he could only say one thing.

"I'm sorry."

He had never apologized to anyone before, why should he, and the words felt foreign in his mouth. By the way she relaxed and wiped her face however, he could see that it had been the right words to say. She got up and walked over to him, head still slightly bowed and stopped when she was right beside him before lifting her left hand and gently smacking him in the chest. She then went away, back to the cave, but he could still hear the words that left her mouth.

"It's okay… And thank you."

It was on that evening that Adam Taurus respected a human for the first time in his life.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **There you have it. Hope it wasn't too unrealistic or anything, but I'm actually quite pleased with the way this chapter turned out to be. So, I hope you will tell me what you think and follow/fave if you haven't yet.**

 **See you in the next chapter and thank you for reading up to this point!**


	30. Chapter 30: Passed

**Chapter 30: Passed**

They were walking through the forest with Loki at Serena's side, going to the clearing that they had used the first time to see if Grimm would accept Adam. The night before they had gone to bed without saying another word, but both knew that they now understood each other better than before and each trusted the other completely now. Serena stopped when they were, once again, in the middle of the clearing, Adam stopping shortly behind her. Turning around, she measured him up once again before laying her left hand on Loki's head.

"It's time to see if he's ready to accept you this time. I have watched you train and I think you're ready for this but it's their decision to take. Remember to stay calm and composed. That's about the only advice I can give you," she instructed before stepping away, leaving only the two there to face each other.

Adam gulped nervously before telling himself to calm down and focus. _I can do this. She has taught me all she can and if she thinks I'm ready then I am,_ he told himself before taking the first step towards the Beowolf. It did nothing but perk its ears, nose raising slightly and sniffing the air, waiting for him to make the next move. Adam took another cautious step, keeping his breathing in check and after the final step, he looked up, directly into the Grimm's eyes.

The animal seemed to study him, eyes not leaving his face before it suddenly leant forward, Adam getting ready for dodging an oncoming attack only to feel a rough and wet tongue glide over his cheek. He stood there, dumbfounded, for a few minutes before a smile broke out on his face and he laughed out loud. He had actually done it! The Grimm, Loki, licked him again before trudging away, leaving the now chuckling male behind with the girl.

Serena smiled in satisfaction and the obvious delight that oozed from the male before walking up to him. He was still chuckling and she found that she liked the sound, a deep bass that seemed to resonate through his chest, before telling herself to focus. Clapping him on his shoulder, the male turned to look at her, red eyes bright with the happiness he felt. She lost herself in those eyes for a moment, the red such a brilliant color that it made her breath catch in her throat. Getting reminded by her body that she needed air, she sucked in a breath before giving him a gentle smile.

"Well done. I knew you were ready for this."

She wanted to say more but was caught off-guard when the tall male suddenly hugged her, arms wrapping around the small of her back and pressing her flush against his chest. Her breath once again caught in her throat and she momentarily asked herself if she was dreaming because she would never expect him to do _that_. But nonetheless, she wouldn't complain about the position they were in.

He suddenly seemed to realize just what he was doing and quickly drew away, coughing once in slight embarrassment at this sudden display of affection. If there was one thing that everyone knew, then it was that Adam Taurus didn't do affectionate. It just wasn't him. Yet, he had still hugged the girl out of the blue, not even thinking about what he was doing.

"Uh… Thanks, I couldn't have done it without you," he mumbled, scratching the back of his head, still a little flustered about the action. But it was the truth; he could never have learned something like this if it hadn't been for her, nor let go of his past the way he had.

"It's okay, I'm happy they accept you now." Serena noticed the slightly higher tone that her voice had and could still feel the blood that had rushed to her cheeks. She was, after all, a girl. "I got a little surprise for you by the way."

At this he looked at her with an expectant look on his face, curious just what this surprise might be. The only answer he got, though, was her suddenly whistling and then silence. He stared at her for a moment, wondering what the whistling had been for before hearing the shrill sound of a bird cawing.

To be more exact, the caw came from a Nevermore. The large black bird landed softly in the clearing, shaking its head once and then looking down at the two humans who were staring at it. Adam's eyes widened.

 _She can control_ that _!_ he mentally screamed.

He was shocked; not only could she control smaller Grimm but even a Nevermore which were pretty strong Grimm. Serena walked up to it, motioning for him to follow her when she saw that he was still looking with his mouth agape at the animal, grabbing his hand and lightly dragging him with her.

"Adam, this is Aeolus, a good friend of mine. Aeolus, this is Adam, my new friend. I hope you two get along well," she introduced them as if they were both human and the bird could actually understand her. Aeolus gave a loud caw in return before lowering his head, waiting for the two to get on.

"Come on, we're gonna make a little trip," she said with a kind of mischievous smirk that he hadn't seen on her yet. Following her, he climbed up after her, taking his position behind the girl on top of the head. "Hold on tight," she told him and he barely had time to warp his arms around her waist before the Nevermore gave a powerful swing of his wings and they were up in the air. His grip immediately tightened when he looked down and saw that they were already several hundred feet above ground.

"This is safe, right?!" he shouted over the wind, looking down concernedly. It wasn't that he was afraid of heights, he just wasn't so keen on falling off a Grimm. Though he was sure that the girl he was momentarily clinging to would try everything to catch him if that should happen.

"Sure!" The slightly afraid tone made Serena laugh, her voice getting carried away by the wind as Aeolus upped their speed. "I hope you like loopings!" she said and the Grimm promptly made one, her clinging to the feather she was holding on to and him tightening his grip around her waist even more. They did a few more and soon both of them were laughing, enjoying the moment to their heart's content.

When they landed, they both got up and Serena laughed when she looked at Adam; his hair was even messier than before and now standing out in all direction while he still had a grin plastered on his face.

"What?" he asked and she laughed even harder at the confused but endearing look that he gave her.

"Your hair… it's all… messed up," she managed to choke out between laughs and he self-consciously ran a hand through his red and brown hair, trying to bring some order into it. "It's okay, it looks good." She immediately blushed at the comment and turned around, heading off to home. "Ah, it's late. We should get back."

Adam chuckled once at her behavior before following the girl, striding beside her until they got back to the cave. They had been away longer than they had thought and the sun was almost down when they got back. Serena quickly prepared dinner, Adam helping her and when they ate together, it was not in the usual silence. Instead, they were having animated talks about Grimm and whatnot. Going to bed, they both said their good night to the other and went to sleep, all the while smiling slightly at the memory that none of them would forget.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **An a little more fun chapter this time since they can't always be serious. I hope that Adam hugging Serena wasn't too OOC for you guys, but it's time to bring some romance into this story. It would be bad if I suddenly mixed all of it into the last few chapters and you guys would be like TF? Now you bring in romance? It would just be too much for a too short span of chapters.**

 **On another note, I can't believe this is already the 30th chapter! This is the first story that I have written that has had so many chapters. Anyway, I'm happy that you guys are still reading this even though it may be a little slow. It means a lot to me!**

 **You guys are awesome! See you on Sunday then! :)**


	31. Chapter 31: Sparring

**Chapter 31: Sparring**

"Since I have shown you all that I know about Grimm, it's time for you to teach me some martial arts," Serena reminded Adam as they ate their breakfast. "I could show you more, like how to become able to feel them, but that takes a lot of time and I think you're good for now."

Adam raised a brow at her phrasing. "Feel them? What's that supposed to mean?"

Serena realized that her expression had been a little too vague and started to elaborate. "What I mean is that you become able to feel their emotions. It takes a lot of time, it took me three months, and I don't think that you would easily achieve it. It's good enough that you managed to get them to accept you. You should be fine the next time you face Grimm. But if you do want to learn it, then that means that you'd have to stay here for some more time."

Adam pondered this proposition; it surely intrigued him to know just what she was talking about, but he didn't want to stay away from the White Fang for another two months. If it took her three months, then it would take him much longer than that and he was quite happy with what he had. Shaking his head, he told her that he was good for now.

Serena nodded in understanding, a little saddened at the notion that she would soon be alone again but she respected his decision nevertheless. She could understand that he didn't want to stay away for longer than was necessary and it was possible that he would get in trouble if he did. She didn't know the White Fang but she presumed that they, too, had some rules that even the high-ranked members had to play by.

"Okay, so I guess we'll be doing martial arts today," she said, sipping some more herbal tea, something that they drank every morning when having breakfast.

"Before that, I need to see what you can already do. Like which moves you know and what style of fighting you prefer to go by. It will be easier to teach you something that can be adapted to your personal style of fighting. Just one thing though," he added, making her look up to him from her tea. "I don't suppose you have a semblance or aura?"

"Aura? Semblance? What's that? I've never heard of it before," she inquired, tilting her head in curiosity. In all the books that she had read until now she had never read those names so she was intrigued to know why he would ask if she possessed it.

"Aura is like…the manifestation of one's soul, to put it simply. It can be used by anything that has a soul, even animals, although Grimm cannot use it since they don't have a soul. Aura is something that gets unlocked by yourself, or with the help of someone else. It can act as a shield or to attack and some auras are rumored to be able to heal wounds if they are strong enough. Aura can also be used in combination with a weapon to act as conduit. I can use my sword, for example, to focus a lot of aura and then let it all out in one attack," he explained.

"What about semblance?"

"Semblance is something that represents you and your soul. Everyone has a unique semblance that gets influenced by their personality, though they sometimes resemble those of one's parents. It varies from person to person; some are able to control objects while others gain immense speed."

"So it's like a superpower," the young female stated, momentarily confusing Adam but he accepted the comparison if it helped her understand the concept of both Aura and Semblance better. "That sounds pretty cool. I wanna see your semblance."

"I don't have one, but I don't need it. I've got Wilt to help me out with my aura so there's no need for me to have a semblance," he stated cockily, a slight smirk playing at the edges of his mouth. Serena was a little confused at the name he used before realizing that he meant his sword. "Anyway, we should get started by now, don't you think?"

"Sure," the raven head replied, setting her plate and cup aside and standing up to put them away. Once that was done, she went outside where Adam was already waiting for her. "So, I should just show you what I can do?"

"I've come up with another idea. You and me will have a little sparring match, which makes it easier for me to see what you can and can't do."

She nodded in understanding and they both took a stance, Serena spreading her feet a little and putting her arms up while Adam just stood there completely relaxed. After a few moments in which nothing happened, Serena realized that he let her make the first move. Sighing, she ran at him and, when she was close enough, kicked out her right leg, aiming for his upper chest. Adam predicted this however and ducked under her leg, reappearing like a flash and aiming a fist at her face. Serena sucked in a breath, surprised by how fast he was, and avoided the hit just in time, bending her body backwards, hands landing on the ground before propelling herself into the air and landing back in position.

 _She has good reflexes,_ Adam noted. Not many people reacted so fast to his attacks and he had never fought with her before which meant that she did not know what he would most likely do. Yet she had avoided him and a small smirk appeared on his lips, happy to have found an opponent that could keep up with him.

She ran at him again but before attacking, she suddenly jumped up over him, using the tree branches to her advantage, using the momentum of the swing to land behind him, intent on catching him off-guard and swiftly aimed a roundhouse kick and a sidekick, but both of them were blocked. Grabbing her leg, Adam threw her off balance and to the side, but she recovered and, with the help of a somersault, landed back on her feet.

They continued this way, each dealing out blows to the other and blocking attacks, and by the time they were finished, Serena was lying on her back, Adam's fist in front of her face. He had caught her in a moment where she hadn't paid attention and used it to his advantage to knock her feet out from under her. Grabbing her by the collar, he had positioned his fist in front of her face, signaling that she had lost.

Serena was panting heavily, staring at the fist in front of her and trying to catch her breath. He had been so fast that she'd had a hard time keeping up with him and she was astounded herself that she had been able to dodge and attack him for so long.

 _He isn't one of the high-ranked members of the White Fang just for show. He's damn good, and fast._

Getting up, Adam reached down a hand and pulled the girl up when she grasped it, noting how light she was. He studied her briefly, noting that she was not that much out of breath and probably had a lot of stamina. Adding that to her fast reflexes and gymnastics, the girl had a lot of potential.

"You're not bad, though we still have to work on some things like your fighting stance or the way you attack. But I guess it won't take that long. Plus, you have good reflexes and are fast. You should use that more to your advantage," he told her.

"Got it," she replied confidently, wiping some sweat off her forehead.

"I suggest we rest fro the rest of the day. Tomorrow will be a day full of training so be sure to get enough sleep," he commended, already thinking about what he could teach her and how.

"Okay. I'm going to take a bath then."

At his nod she went inside the cool cave, retrieved a towel, some clothes and her shampoo before heading out. Once she was settled in the warm water, she let out a sigh and sunk down so that her head was underwater, mentally preparing herself for training tomorrow.

From the way his eyes had glowed with anticipation and what she made out to be mischief, she knew that it was going to be a long and tiring day.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Thanks for the reviews fro the last chapters. Hope you liked them as much as I did.**

 **So, I guess that after a few more chapters, it's time for Adam to go back to the White Fang. Oh, but don't worry, it won't end just there. There is much more to come so stay tuned for the next chapter. And don't forget to review!**


	32. Chapter 32: Cold

**Sorry for the foramting errors in the previous version. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 32: Cold**

"Put more force into the punch!"

"You need to have the will to defeat your opponent before he defeats you!"

"Aim higher!"

"Stand your ground no matter what!"

Those were the words of encouragement that Serena received all throughout her training sessions with Adam. He was strict, always correcting her whenever her punch was off or her kick didn't have enough force behind it, but he was also a good mentor. During the two days that they had trained together now, she had learned multiple new moves and tactics that would help her overpower an opponent that was stronger than herself.

She was currently learning how to get out of a chokehold and after her fifth try, she finally managed to break free of his iron hold and kick his legs from under him. He landed with a thud and she quickly walked over and offered him her hand, though she did little to help him get up again as he was heavier than her. Adam dusted himself off and gave a satisfied smirk, pleased that she was learning so quickly.

"Good, I think you got that now. I guess there is nothing else that I could teach you," he said, but immediately added a sentence at her sad expression. "But I'll stay until after tomorrow so that we can have one final spar."

"Okay. Then I'll start making dinner," Serena said, her voice quieter than usual. She knew that he would have to leave one day, she just hadn't thought that it would be so soon. But it had to come eventually; his wound was completely healed now, a scar now visible where it used to be and he had only stayed longer because he had wanted to finish training her. It saddened her, but she had no right to keep him from his friends. There were people waiting for him, and she was sure that they were worried about him, too.

Grabbing her quiver and bow, she put on her black coat and started wandering into the forest. The days had turned unexpectedly cold, the nights even more so and she now wore her black jeans with a black top and her red sweatshirt over it, but she still had to put on the cloak to keep herself warm. Grabbing a tree branch, she heaved herself up and went from one tree to another, not making a sound once, her body having accustomed to this kind of travel long ago. It was when she spotted something moving a few feet away that she crouched down and peered at the object.

It was a brown deer, small horns protruding from its head, head bent low and chewing away at the leaves and grass on the floor. It had not noticed her and the female silently took an arrow from her back and cocked it into position on the bow. Breathing in deeply, she pulled back the bowstring and, with a final exhale, let go of it. The arrow soared through the sky before imbedding itself in the chest of the animal, killing it instantly. It fell to the side and Serena got down from her tree, calling for Ajax. The Grimm appeared soon afterwards and she heaved the cadaver on its back before they went back home.

"I brought some deer," she called as she spotted Adam who was currently practicing with his sword, movements fluid and fast. He paused and looked up before nodding and, after sheathing his sword, he went over and helped her get the dead animal off Ajax's back. They prepared it and when it was time to eat, he grabbed their plates and cutlery while she cut them both a decent portion of meat, adding carrots and potatoes.

They ate in mostly silence, a small conversation occurring here and there and she cleaned their dishes while he put some more wood into the fire. Both went to bed soon after, Serena still in her sweatshirt and pants while he was only wearing his red t-shirt and black pants, not seeming to mind the cold at all. To add to this, it seemed like a storm was coming up and Serena could already hear the thunder in the distance. She buried herself in her blankets and promptly fell asleep, the training having drained her more than she thought.

* * *

Serena woke up, body shivering, as a loud crack sounded outside. Opening her eyes, she was greeted by complete darkness, the only light being provided by the occasional lightning streak that would cross the sky. The wind was howling outside and into the cave and she figured that it had extinguished the fire. Wrapping the blanket more tightly around herself, she drew her knees up to her chin, though it did little to keep her warm. Her teeth were chattering from not only the cold but also fear. Yes, she was afraid of the dark. She hadn't been before, but now the darkness reminded her of the bottom of the lake in which she had drowned and she felt suffocated in it.

"Hey, you okay?"

The groggy and sleepy voice came from her bed and she looked over to see Adam looking at her, his red eyes the only thing she could see in the darkness. She had moved closer to the fire that evening which put him at some distance from her, yet she could still make out his silhouette. It seemed like she had woken him up with the noise she'd made.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, not wanting to admit that she, a nineteen-year-old girl that was legally an adult, was afraid of the dark. No doubt he would laugh at her.

"You sure?"

She could detect a hint of worry in his voice. No, she was not fine but she would not admit that; she had some pride. Pulling the blanket more tightly around herself, she nodded before remembering that it was pitch black and he couldn't see her. She didn't know that Faunus actually had night vision.

"Yeah."

He was silent for some time and she took it that he'd gone back to sleep. She tried to follow his example, but the chattering of her teeth and the constant fear that lurked inside her wouldn't let her. She tossed around for about two minutes before she heard his voice again, this time not as sleepy as before.

"Get over here."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said get over here. You're obviously freezing and I can't sleep with all the noise you're making," he replied gruffly. But she knew that he didn't really mean it like that; there was no trace of contempt or annoyance in his voice.

"I'm fine, really-"

"Get. Over. Here," he repeated, this time more insistent and the girl knew that it was pointless to argue with him now. Sighing, she got up and, holding her hands out in front of her, stumbled to where he was, almost falling over something once. When she had reached the bed, she wanted to ask what she was supposed to do now before a hand grabbed her wrist and she was pulled down. Letting out a surprised gasp, she found herself lying next to the red-haired male, his back turned to her and blanket placed on top of her.

"There. Now go back to sleep," he muttered before going back to sleep himself. Serena didn't know what to do; never before had she shared a bed with a guy. Deducing that it would be best to just try and fall asleep, she pulled the blanket to her chin and closed her eyes, trying not to think that Adam was lying directly beside her.

It was definitely warmer here, but she refused to get any closer to him. This was already embarrassing enough as it was. When she finally drifted off to her much needed rest, she was not aware of her body moving closer to him during the night, her head now pressed against his back.

Neither was Adam aware of the fact that he had rolled over during the night and subconsciously put an arm around her waist, holding her close to him. This shocked him greatly when he awoke the next morning, stirred by the early rays of the sun. It was when he tried to shift his position a little that he noticed that something was wrong. Looking down, his eyes widened and he sucked in a breath when he saw the girl lying next to him, one hand holding onto his shirt while her head was tucked under his chin, resting against his chest.

He internally panicked, not knowing just what the hell he was supposed to do in this kind of situation. Sure, he had been together with women before, but not in this kind of intimate way. Debating on whether or not to get up or just stay there and go back to sleep, he decided that it wouldn't harm him if he just went back to sleep again. He was sure that she would be even more embarrassed than him and maybe, when he went back to sleep, he would roll around or she would turn away from him.

Letting out a frustrated breath, he closed his eyes again, his grip on her waist slightly tightening as she moved impossibly closer. He could smell the shampoo in her hair, the faint fragrance of flowers wafting into his nose and mentally noted that it suited her. He lay his head so that his chin was now resting on her head and not soon after did he drift off again, a faint smile on his lips, expression peaceful for once.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **So, like I already said in the previous chapter, i will up the romance a little. So I decided to make this chapter a little fluffier than the previous ones. I hope it's not too rushed or anything, but do tell me if it is.**

 **Anyway, stay tuned for the chapters to come and review if you want to, I'm always happy to receive a feedback.**


	33. Chapter 33: Goodbye

**Corrected her last name. Sorry for the mistake in the previous version, but that happens when you change them mid-story.**

* * *

 **Chapter 33: Goodbye**

Today was the day. The day that she would finally beat him. The day that she would be going back into her old lifestyle and he into his. The day that they would both part ways and probably never see each other again.

Today was the day Serena Caldron would be left alone again with only the Grimm to keep her company.

Today was the day Adam Taurus would return to the White Fang and resume killing for their cause.

They both knew that the day would have had to come eventually, but neither of them greeted the idea of leaving the other. They had grown used to each other over time and had developed feelings for the other. Feelings of not only respect, but of care and trust. The gloomy aura hung around both of them and it was almost tangible. They were unusually quiet when eating their breakfast, and neither of them ate much. They didn't have much of an appetite.

Serena washed the dishes while Adam took his sword and her staff, walking outside the cave. Both had slept in later than usual and it was now past eleven. Drying her hands on a towel, she walked outside and immediately caught the weapon that was thrown at her. Looking at her hand, she saw that she was holding her staff and, looking up at Adam, saw that he was holding his sword.

"Time for our sparring match."

His voice was different from usual, somewhat dead and flat. She doubted that her voice sounded any different. Nodding, they both went to their places, him standing at the far off right while she was standing at the far off left. Glancing at her weapon, she saw him unsheathe his sword, taking his position while she took hers.

"To make things more exciting, we're going to use our weapons this time," he explained, seeing her puzzled look.

"Isn't that a bit too dangerous?"

"It will be okay. We're not trying to kill each other after all. But I still won't go easy on you," he answered, a smirk on his lips in anticipation of the coming fight. She nodded before taking her stance, legs bend and ready to jump into action, arms raised near her body while she held her staff in her right hand by her side.

"Don't go easy on me. I won't on you."

With these words Adam moved with lightning speed and was suddenly in front of the girl, lashing out with his sword, intent on getting her on the stomach. The girl had become accustomed to his movements and speed however, and quickly jumped backwards, the blade of the sword barely missing her stomach before lashing out with her own weapon.

Metal met metal and they were locked in a contest of force for a short while, her trying to push him back and him trying to do the same. Winning, Adam threw Serena back and immediately followed by aiming a kick at her side. Serena saw this and used the momentum of the throw to skid back a little before throwing her stick into the air behind her. Distracted, Adam looked up at her weapon, wondering what she was going to do if it was in midair and did not notice her do a back spring on her hands. Landing nimbly, she jumped up and caught the weapon skillfully before coming down on him, the end of the staff pointed at his chest.

Adam thanked his reflexes and jumped to the side, rolling over once before jumping back on his feet, narrowly dodging another attack that was aimed at his head. He slightly glared at her but was only met with a smirk that made his own grow. Crouching low, he aimed a kick at her legs, intending to bring her down like he did the first time.

But Serena would have none of it.

Jumping up, she threw her body backwards on the spot, turning around herself, one leg following after the other in a circle before connecting with Adam's jaw. He hadn't anticipated that move and the force of it hit him full on, making him loose his grip on his sword. Stumbling backwards, he caught his balance only to be hit by the blunt end of her stick in the stomach. Doubling over, he clenched at his stomach before she swept his feet from under him, resulting in him falling and landing with a dump thud.

Serena immediately positioned her stick on his chest, preventing him from getting back up. He looked at her with surprise in his eyes, only now completely realizing that he had lost, but the surprise soon left his eyes and he smiled up at her. It was the first time he had ever smiled at her; it was warm and bright, and she longed to see him smile like that more often. Retreating her staff, Adam grabbed the hand that she offered him and got back up, stomach still slightly sore from the sudden attack.

"Good move there, caught me by surprise," he praised her, going over to his sword and sheathing it again. "Congratulations; you're the first human to have ever beaten me."

She smiled in thanks, but it wasn't a real smile. He noticed and told her that they still had time until evening and asked how she wanted to spend it. She brightened up at this and the day passed with them riding on Aeolus once again, though this time Adam was more comfortable with it, and her introducing him to Napoleon and the other Grimm. They had a lot of fun.

It was when it was starting to get dark when the air around them turned somber again and they had walked to the border of the forest, just a little distance away from Vale. Neither really knew what to say to the other because, no matter what they said, it would not help make this any more enjoyable.

"So, I guess this is goodbye then," Adam said, looking down at the girl that was looking at the ground. She only nodded meekly, not looking at him for fear he would see how much she would actually miss him.

"I guess so," she mumbled.

"Hey, don't worry; you'll be fine alone. I taught you everything I can and you still have Ajax and the others with you, so you won't be all alone." He knew that it was impossible to compare the company of a human to that of a Grimm. She could talk to them, but would never receive an answer. It just wasn't the same.

"Yeah. It's just… I'll miss you," she almost whispered the last part and it was only because he stood so close to her that he had heard it.

"I'll miss you too," he said, honestly meaning it. He would really miss this human girl. "But I'll come over and visit some time, okay?"

"Really?"

She looked at him hopefully, eyes glistening from the tears that had been there before. He nodded and gave her his trademark smirk. Serena didn't know what came over her, but she suddenly lunged forward and hugged him, standing on her toes, arms going around his neck and head resting against his chest. She felt him stiffen for a moment before he returned the gesture, arms snaking around the small of her back and pressing her a little more against him.

"Thank you," she mumbled against him, tightening her hold a little and pulling him down a little more, planting a small kiss on his cheek. They both pulled away, him smiling at her and she returning it.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you. You saved my life and yet I never thanked you for it, so; thanks, for looking after me. I'm in your debt."

"You don't owe me anything, just visit me from time to time."

"I promise. I'll visit whenever I can. Until then, stay save, 'kay?"

"You too, take care of yourself and try not to get almost killed again," she said, a slightly mocking grin on her face.

"I won't," he replied, the same grin on his face.

With those words, he put on his mask and began to descend the small path while she watched after him, waiting until he had completely disappeared behind the corner of a building. Sighing, she looked at the city a little longer before going back to her home. Entering the cave, she found it inexplicably empty, like something was missing although it looked the same as always. Going to her bed, she lay down and stared at the rock ceiling, unable to fall asleep, thoughts swirling through her head.

 _I'll be fine,_ she thought, trying to encourage herself, but she knew that she would need some time.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **I'm sad to tell you that my current Beta-reader, Recycler, has resigned his job. Apparently, my writing has become good** **enough so that I won't be needing him/her anymore. But I still want to thank Recycler for always helping and supporting me in my work and look forward to working together with him/her again on some other story perhaps.**

 **They parted ways! From here on it won't be so long before my version of Cinder's diabolic plan will be revealed, so please stick till the end.**

 **Oh, and the move that Serena performed to knock Adam down is called a back aerial. Just google it, my description of it isn't exactly the best.**

 **Review if you liked it, I'm always happy about feedback.**


	34. Chapter 34: Report

**Chapter 34: Report**

Adam reached the White Fang HQ after an hour, opening the door by scanning his hand on the panel beside it. The metal moved aside and he quietly entered the base. It was already late evening, past nine or so, and he encountered only few other Faunus. The ones he did encounter all gave him looks of surprise and some even looked twice to see if they saw right. He ignored them, however, and walked on until he had reached the cafeteria.

A lot of Faunus were still assembled, sitting in small groups and engaging in heated discussions until they saw him at the entrance. The conversations slowly died down until it was so quiet that one would have heard the fall of a needle. Everyone looked at him in shock, some with mouths agape and wide eyes until someone stepped forward. The person was a female, long spiky black hair traveling down her back, with a gentle face and red eyes. She looked him up and down once before speaking up, her voice unusually loud in the dead silence.

"I thought you were dead, Adam."

He looked around and saw that everyone was thinking the same, some giving distrustful and calculating looks. They didn't know where he had been for so long and of course it could have been that he had been captured and only now managed to escape. They feared that he had ratted them out, though those who knew him knew that he would never do so.

"You thought wrong Raven," he replied curtly, voice flat as usual when he was within the White Fang. The woman raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes.

"Where have you been then? You've been gone for two weeks and neither of the Faunus who have accompanied you on your mission have returned. So, tell me, what happened?"

"I would like to know, too," came a sudden voice from above. Looking up, Adam spotted Spike Desde leaning against the railing of the second floor, looking down at him with blank eyes, but Adam knew him well enough to know that he was itching to get an answer. "Come up to my office immediately." With that he left, turning around and vanishing behind a corner.

The red-haired male let out a quiet sigh before walking towards the staircase that was on the other side of the mess hall. Walking past Raven, he heard her say, "It's good that you're back."

"Good to be back," he replied before continuing on, still receiving curious looks. Reaching the stair case, he climbed the two stories before stopping in front of the metallic door that led to the leader's room. Knocking, he waited until he was granted to permission to enter and, upon receiving it, opened the door, walked inside and closed the door quietly before turning around and bowing once.

Spike was sitting behind his desk, in a leather arm chair, elbows propped on his desk and hands folded, chin resting on them. His eyes, a pair of dark blue ones, were looking at him scrutinizingly, drilling into his own red eyes.

"You wanted to talk to me, sir," he addressed politely, careful not to act suspicious or anything.

"Yes, Adam, I did. And you know what I wanted to talk about." Adam only nodded in response; of course he knew. There wasn't anything else of importance to talk about. "So then, tell me; what happened to you and the rest of your team. If I remember correctly, then I sent out a squad of three men, not one. So what happened to the others?"

"They were killed, sir."

Spike raised a brow, giving him permission to elaborate on that.

"After having completed the mission successfully, during which Eric got injured, we fled into the forest. Unfortunately, the commotion had alarmed Grimm and we were promptly attack by a pack of Ursa and Beowolves. Both Eric and Steve died during the fight and I almost did too until a girl intervened."

"A girl?" the older male questioned, his tone curious and disbelieving.

"Yes, sir. A human girl stopped the Grimm from killing me. She took me to her home and took care of me for two weeks until I was able to leave," he concluded. He intentionally left out the parts of her special power and him teaching her in martial arts, deeming it unimportant information.

Bad for him that Spike thought differently.

"You said that this girl 'stopped' the Grimm. How do you mean that?"

"I mean it exactly as I said; she stopped the Grimm. She seems to have a special kind of power that allows her to control and use the Grimm whichever way she likes." It was no use lying to him; Spike would see right through it.

"Interesting. Tell me, do you know where this girl lives?"

"She lives somewhere deep in the Forever Fall forest, in a cave, although I do not know the exact location of it." He was trying to at least try and protect her. She had saved his life and he would not repay her by ratting her out to someone like Spike.

"If you were to go back, do you think you would be able to find your way back to the home of that human?"

"I doubt it; it is too vast and there are no concrete landmarks by which I could pin point its location. I'm sorry, sir." It was a bold lie; of course he would find his way back. He had everything in his head; every stone and every tree that led to her home.

"I see," the buffalo Faunus mused, eyes thoughtful. "That will be all then. You can leave now."

Bowing again, Adam left the room, returning to his own quarters. As soon as he'd left, a woman stepped out of the shadows, standing behind Spike who was still contemplating what the Faunus had told him.

"Interesting," Cinder said, eyes glowing with malice and ideas.

"Very interesting even. We can use that girl. Since Roman Torchwick is no longer in the picture, we will have to use someone else."

"Indeed. I wouldn't have thought that he would betray us, but I guess he is more of a coward than I thought." Cinder shook her head at the thought of the criminal who had somehow managed to slip away.

"Have a team sent out to capture and bring me that human. And Cinder…" Cinder stopped by the door, looking back at the Faunus. "Tell them that I want her alive." Giving him a smirk, she opened the door and left, going to find some Faunus and tell them their new mission.

 _Perfect. With this, we can finally start the final phase of the plan. Soon, Vale will no longer be,_ Spike thought, a menacing grin spreading on his lips and eyes blazing with evil.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapter, happy so many people enjoy this story. A special tan you to Animehottylover 18 who has reviewed on each chapter so far; always happy to receive your opinion.**

 **There's not much to say here, so I won't. Just review if you want and stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	35. Chapter 35: Routine

**Chapter 35: Routine**

Getting back into one's old routine was easier than Serena had thought. She did everything like she used to before; train in the morning, eat breakfast, hunt or meet the other Grimm, eat something, train some more and then eat dinner and go to bed. But only now did she realize how boring that routine actually was. There was no action except for meeting Ajax or Loki and she had no one to talk to, save the Grimm. And when making dinner, it was more often that she made too much and actually served two plates instead of one.

Only now did she realize how lonely she had been.

Trotting through the forest, she met Ajax and Loki, both accompanying her for a while, sensing that something was wrong. Her link with them had gotten stronger and she could read their feelings more easily. She was touched to know that they cared about her that much.

It was three days after Adam had left that Ruby chose to visit again. Serena had just been out hunting and was now preparing her dinner when Ajax lifted his head from where he was lying at the entrance and gave a low growl before standing up and running off. Before she even had the chance to ask what was wrong, she heard a surprised shriek followed by laughter and soon after Ruby appeared in her home, face wet from Ajax licking it. Said animal was walking behind her, looking pretty happy that the silver-eyed girl had decided to visit them again.

"Hey Serena," Ruby greeted, wiping her face to get the saliva off it.

"Hey Ruby. It's been some while since you last visited." She hadn't meant it to sound offensive but the look that she received from the younger female told her that she had taken it the wrong way.

"I'm so sorry, it's just been so busy the past week that I haven't had the time. I'm really sorry."

"Woah, easy there. I didn't mean it like that, I just noticed that you haven't been here the past week. So what happened that made you so busy?" Serena inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"It's Torchwick."

This caught her attention and she immediately put away the knife that she was still holding, walking over to the little sitting area by the fire and gestured for Ruby to take a seat. The other girl complied and she handed her a cup of tea before continuing their conversation.

"What about him?"

"He broke out of jail," Ruby said somberly, sipping her tea while staring into the fire.

"What?"

"It was Penny, an android whom I know well, that helped him. Apparently there was a virus in her system which made her help him get out. Luckily, we detected it soon enough and could stop it before it expanded and befell other androids. It would have been a disaster if it had actually gotten to the Atlesian Knight-200s."

"Knight-200?" the older girl asked for she did not know what they were.

"They're combat androids designed by Atlas and posted on the border to protect it. They were here in the city for the Vytal Festival, that is, until it was postponed because of Torchwick. Now there are only some left to secure the city and catch him, but I don't think that they'll be able to. If Torchwick doesn't want to be found then he won't be. But I have this feeling as if we won't be seeing him again, like he has given up. I don't know…"

"I'm sorry, Ruby. I know how much you were looking forward to that festival."

"It's okay, it's only been postponed, so I'll have my chance to show them what I can do," Ruby said with a smirk, eyes sparkling with newfound courage and enthusiasm. "What about you; what have you been doing?"

"Oh, uh, not much. Just the usual you know," Serena tried to avoid answering the question. She knew that Ruby would _not_ be happy if she heard that she had been harboring a criminal and hadn't even told her when she had visited the first week he'd been there. _Sorry Ruby, but it's best if you don't know._

The other girl noticed that she had been stuttering a little and raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly, arms resting on her knees and chin on her folded hands. "Oh really?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know but you seem a little different, if not off. Are you alright?" Serena could hear the genuine concern in Ruby's voice and instantly felt bad for having lied to her.

"No, no, I'm okay, just a bit tired. I couldn't really sleep tonight so…" That wasn't a lie. She hadn't been able to sleep well in the past days, ever since Adam had left. She always felt alone and vulnerable and even if Ajax was with her the feeling did not go away. It was only then that she noticed just how much she actually missed the Faunus.

"If you say so," Ruby said, deciding to let the other female be for now. She could get her answers another time. "Hey, how about you come visit Beacon some time? I'm sure you'll love it and my team really wants to meet you, and I'm sure Professor Ozpin would also be interested in talking to you."

"I don't know Ruby. I don't think that I should," Serena relied uncertainly.

"Oh don't worry. Since the rumors about the 'Grimm Tamer' have been spreading so wildly that even the students from the other kingdoms know about you, I don't think that there will be any problem. People know that you're not a threat and some even say that you're a hero. Just think about it, okay?"

"Okay, I'll think about it."

Serena was surprised that the rumors had already spread so far. Maybe, if people really did not see her as a threat and were ready to accept her, she could really go out into town. It would be a welcomed change and she really wanted to see Beacon and meet the rest of Ruby's team. The silver-eyed girl had told her so much about them that she already liked the other three females and it sounded like the school was really great.

"Great! I'll have to go now, but I'll come back at the end of the week, maybe on Saturday or so, okay?"

"Sure, I'm looking forward to it," the black-haired girl replied before both stood up. Going to the exit, they both hugged each other, saying their farewells before Ruby was off, Ajax following her. Serena let out a sigh, running a hand trough her short hair and went back to preparing her dinner. Eating in silence, she thought about what Beacon was like before going to bed.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **So, yeah, also not much to say here. I hope you liked this one, though I know that it was nothing exciting. Anyway, the really exciting part will be coming soon so don't give up reading please! And review if you want to!**


	36. Chapter 36: Taken

**Chapter 36: Taken**

Four days had passed since Adam had left and Serena felt lonelier by the second. She really missed him and only now noticed how much he had helped her. Not only did he teach her some martial arts, but he also made her forget about her family while he had been there. But since he's left, she thought about them more often, about the times they used to spend together. She had never been lonely with them, but now she was.

 _Enough self-pity. Time to go hunt some dinner,_ she thought, intent on thinking about something else. Grabbing her bow and quiver, she went outside and, hopping onto a tree branch, began going deeper into the forest. She heard footsteps following her and looked down, spotting Ajax. The Grimm must have seen her leave although she had not detected him.

Stopping, she leaned slightly down so that she could look at him. "I'm sorry Ajax, but you'll have to stay here. I'm just going to get something to eat and I'm afraid I can't do so if you're with me. You'll scare away the animals." The Grimm gave a snort and she took it that he objected. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon, okay? You just wait here, I'll call if something should happen."

With that said, she leapt off again, leaving Ajax behind who looked after her until he could no longer see her. Serena finally arrived at her favorite spot to hunt, a small clearing with enough food to lure animals and enough space to take good aim. She waited patiently, sitting down on the branch that she was sitting on and waited, thoughts once again drifting to her family. She shook her head, trying to clear it and stopped the action when she heard the rustling of leaves getting closer.

Carefully standing up, she peered in the direction that the sound was coming from and spotted a rabbit. The animal was carelessly sniffing the ground and munching away on leaves. Paying attention to not making a sound, Serena quietly pulled out an arrow, the action have been executed so many times that she did not even have to think about it anymore. Positioning it, she pulled back the string, exhaling slowly and just when she was about to let go, another sound of rustling leaves made her head whip around.

The sound was coming towards her and it sounded like human footsteps, at least three of them judging by the noise. Looking back down, she saw that her prey had left already and something told her that she should do the same. Sheathing the arrow and slinging the bow over her shoulder, she grabbed hold of another tree branch and started moving away from the sound. She could detect voices by now, distinctly male, and they were talking to each other, one barking orders and the others grumbling.

She stopped when she suddenly saw them only a few feet away. _I thought they were in the other direction?!_ she thought, wary of them. The aura that omitted from them was not a good one and there were no more birds anywhere, telling her that something was off about them. She crouched down and decided that the best course of action for now was to wait until they had passed her and then get back to her home. She was lucky that she was wearing her red sweater which made it easier for her to blend in with the leaves and her black shorts did not stick out too much.

When they were just a few feet in front of the tree she was perched on, she mustered them up and down, calculating what she would be able to do in case a fight should occur.

The leader, as he seemed to be the leader by the way he was commanding the others, was a tall, tanned man with short cut black hair. He was wearing a Grimm mask that covered the entirety of his face and his uniform was the typical White Fang one except that his shirt did not have sleeves, revealing muscular arms.

The second man, standing beside the leader on the right side, had on a black hood, hiding his face from her view but she could still see the deer horns that poked out from underneath it. He, too, had on a Grimm mask, though his only covered his eyes and part of his nose. He was wearing a normal uniform, like the third man who was to the leader's left. This one was apparently, a fox Faunus, a thick red tail coming out of his pants. He had on the same clothes as henchman number one, mask and all.

Analyzing them and noting that the leader had a chainsaw with him, she deduced that he was the biggest threat and would have to be taken out first. The two henchmen she could handle, but the leader was something else. He was strong and tall, an advantage that he had over her that could help him to victory. Adam had taught her some moves to defeat someone who was taller and stronger than her, but she knew that that would not suffice here.

The three men were talking and she could faintly hear the complaints of the two henchmen. "How long are we going to search this damn forest? We've been going through this for three days already and yet we've not even found a trace. You sure that girl really lives here?"

At this her ears perked up. They were talking about a girl, living in this forest. That could only mean they were talking about her. As far as she knew, there was no one else living here, so there was no doubt about it. _But what could they want with me? Why would the White Fang be interested in me of all people?_

"Keep on looking," the leader replied in a gruff voice. "According to his informations, it has to be somewhere around here. It can't be that far anymore."

"You sure?" the third man suddenly piped up, glancing at the tall man.

"Pretty sure. Adam said that she lived near a pond and the only ponds around here are the ones by the Dead Caves. Plus, he said she lived deep in the forest, so that limits our search area. She has to live somewhere around here."

 _Adam?_ she thought, disappointed that he had apparently ratted her out. _But why should he? I have given him no reason to._

"Damn," the second man, the one with the deer horns, hissed. "If he knows where it is he could have accompanied us. Would have saved us a lot of trouble if he did," he grumbled, kicking at a stone on the ground and sending it flying against the tree bark she was on. She was slightly jostled by the action and moved a little, brushing some leaves in the process. This, however, proved to be the wrong move as they all jerked their heads up and looked around, the leader's hand having wandered to his chainsaw that was strapped to his back.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, looking around, trying to find out where the noise had come from. Serena stiffened, holding her breath in hope that they wouldn't see her. She didn't know why they were looking for her, neither did she want to find out. Trying to get away somehow, she slipped slightly and a branch snapped.

The fox Faunus sharply looked up and stared right at her before calling out to the other two. "Up there! There she is!" he exclaimed, finger pointing at her. Now, the girl had no other option but to run and did so, quickly trying to get as far away as possible.

"Catch her no matter what! And don't kill her; we need her alive!" the leader barked.

Serena hurried through the trees until the vegetation became too dense and she had to take to the ground for fear of being slowed down by the many branches that blocked her way. She could hear the heavy footsteps behind her and the sound of a weapon being drawn. She hurried on without looking back until she got out of the forest and was, to her immense horror, faced with a stone wall.

 _Oh no!_ she panicked, swiftly turning around to see her pursuers emerge from the forest as well, breathing as heavily as she was. The leader had his chainsaw in hand and the other two had their weapons out as well, the fox Faunus armed with a baton while the deer Faunus had a weird sword in his hand that quickly transformed into a crossbow.

 _Great, now what?!_

"Give it up little girl," the leader spoke, resting his chainsaw on his shoulder like it weighed nothing and stepping forward. "There's no way for you to run anymore, so why don't you come with us quietly."

Giving a defiant glare in his direction, Serena took the fighting stance that she had perfected with Adam's help and adjusted the bow on her back so that it wouldn't hinder her during the fight. The three men snorted, underestimating her, thinking that she would not pose a big problem.

"I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way," the leader said before swinging his chainsaw and aiming for her. Serena quickly jumped to the side, regaining her balance just in time to block a punch that was aimed for her face. Looking up, she grabbed the fox Faunus' arm and threw him over her shoulder, the body hitting the ground with a loud 'thud' and the male groaning in protest. Turning around, she made a backflip, narrowly avoiding an arrow that had been shot at her.

She started to doubt that they wanted her alive, lest they stop shooting arrows and attacking her with a chainsaw.

Jumping up, she aimed a round house kick at the leader, but he caught her leg and, with a lot of strength, threw her to the right. Serena let out a surprised yelp and looked over her shoulder to see that she was aiming straight for a tree. Eyes widening, her body acted without her thinking and she bended backwards. Feet connecting with the tree trunk, she pushed off and jumped upwards, into the tree opposite her. She tried getting away before she felt someone grab her ankle in mid-jump and yank her downwards. She landed on the ground, hard, and let out a groan, feeling her body protest at the sudden contact. Looking up, she rolled to the right, the fox Faunus' foot landing a second later where her stomach had been. She glared at him and punched him in the gut, effectively knocking the breath out of him. Doubling over, the male clenched his stomach until Serena hit him on the neck and he was out.

 _One out, two to go,_ she thought as she looked around for the other two. She spotted the one with the crossbow, the deer Faunus, and decided that it would be best to take him out next. Running up to him, she dodged the arrows aimed for her and, when she was right in front of him, yanked the weapon upwards so that she would not get shot. Taking her bow from her back, she rammed it into the Faunus' stomach who let out a surprised gasp, but surprisingly he did not give up. Instead, he jumped backwards and aimed his weapon at her. She immediately jumped to the side, an arrow grazing her cheek and leaving a trail of blood to run down it.

 _Too close!_ she exclaimed in her head before jumping to the side once again. _I have to get rid of that damn weapon or else I'm toast!_

Instead of running at him full on again, she disappeared into the forest and silently climbed up a tree. Moving from one tree to the next, she positioned herself so that the man's back was to her. But even if he couldn't see her, she knew that Faunus had excellent senses and would be able to hear her the moment she made even the slightest of noises. Taking an arrow from the quiver, she put it in position and aimed to the left of the man. Letting go, the projectile barely grazed the man's leg before imbedding in the ground. Startled by the sudden attack, the man was caught off-guard which gave her enough time to jump down from the tree. Just as he was turning around, Serena's foot connected with his head and he was blown to the side, unconscious. Landing in a crouch, she got up and looked around for the leader only to find the place empty, no sign of him.

 _Where did he go? He couldn't have left, I would have noticed._

She strained her eyes and tried to see into the forest and through bushes, ears tuned for the slightest sound. It was quiet and nothing gave her an indication to his position. That is, until she suddenly felt someone behind her and, just when she turned around, a fist met with on the side of her head. Crumbling to the ground, her vision blurred and she saw sparks dancing in front of her.

"Finally," she could hear the gruff voice of the leader. "That was too much trouble for such a weak girl."

She could faintly draw two letters into the ground with her forefinger before she felt someone lift her body up and got thrown over a shoulder. That was also when her conscience decided to shut down and she passed out.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Yep, she gets kidnapped by the White Fang. But that won't be all and the final battle is just about to happen, so look forward to the next chapters.**

 **And have you seen the new episode? We're in for some deep shit people!**


	37. Chapter 37: Welcome

**Chapter 37: Welcome**

It was dark. That was the first thing Serena noticed when she opened her eyes. There was only some light filtering in from a window that was on the other side of the room. Bars were in front of her, denying her escape, making her a prisoner. The only furniture adorning the cell she was currently in was a metallic bed with a think mattress over it, nothing else. It was vast and cold and she didn't like it one bit.

It was when she heard footsteps, those of two men and one woman by the sound of their shoes, that she looked outside. A faint light slowly neared her cell and only when the three people halted in front of her could she clearly see anything. The two men were both Faunus, one a mouse and the other a buffalo one. The taller of the two, the buffalo, seemed to be the leader since he wore normal clothing. Beside him was a woman that was, in Serena's opinion, the most beautiful one she had ever seen. She had a perfect figure, a round face, long, dark, wavy hair, and golden eyes that seemed to gleam in the light.

"Ah, I see that our guest is awake."

It was the leader who spoke up, taking a step closer to her cell and towering over her. Serena had sat up on the bed and was studying the three. The man, although older than the woman for he had greying hair, exuded an air of malice and every cell in her body warned her to stay clear of him. The woman had an akin air, although it slightly differed from the leader's one. It somehow wasn't as strong, though still prominent enough to make her wary of the female. The mouse Faunus did not seem extraordinary, but she could tell that he must have been something like a higher-up, though not as high as Adam was.

"Forgive the way that you have been brought here, but I wanted to talk to you," he continued, giving a slight bow as if he really meant the apology. Serena knew he didn't.

"Where is here?" she opted to ask.

"Ah, yes, of course. Well my dear, you are currently in the headquarters of the White Fang. I'm sure you've heard of us."

"I have, though nothing good," she retorted, wanting to test his reaction. But the man kept the fake smile on his face, not even flinching or twitching an eye at the comment.

"Petty rumors. I can assure you that we are not what you hear out in town. Humans simply do not understand and therefor fear us."

"That might be, but it still doesn't explain why I'm in the White Fang HQ in a cell."

The Faunus slightly narrowed his eyes before responding, his voice taking a somewhat more dangerous tone on. "That is because I wanted to talk to you about something. I have heard that you have certain abilities."

"And those would be?"

Now, Serena was not one for being sassy or impolite but she'd had enough of this game and his constant fake politeness. The man registered that and all kindness left his face, leaving only a stare that felt as if it could roast her alive.

"You know fully well what I'm talking about, human," he sneered, eyes gleaming with disgust at the last word. "I'm talking about those powers to control Grimm." Serena was about to deny him when he cut her off, "And don't try to deny it. I know you have them from a trustworthy source."

It was no use lying, so the female decided to get to the point already. "Fine, I have such powers. What would you want with them?"

"Oh, you'll see that soon enough. But for now, let's just say you're going to be a big help in my plans." He stepped away from the cell, a cruel smirk on his face, but before he turned to leave, he added, "A guard will come pick you up tomorrow morning."

"What for?" she inquired, her voice louder than Serena would have thought it to be. Maybe it was just the cell.

"Tests."

With that, the three left the room, leaving the girl to brood over what he could have meant with tests.

* * *

True to his word, Serena had been picked up the next morning and roughly brought out of her cell. She had been led into what looked like a training hall and the next thing she knew, a door opened and in streamed three Grimm, all angry. She was currently still in the same situation. Luckily, she had managed to calm the animals down before she could get any more injured. The Grimm had been enraged and because there were three instead of just one, she had lost control over the situation, resolving in her gaining a few cuts and tears in her clothing, the wounds still bleeding but not as much anymore.

The responsible ones were currently lying down and she was patting them. Of course she knew that they were watching her, why else would they have brought her here if not to see how her power worked. She really wanted to take a shower right now, her clothes not only torn but also dirty and her hair slightly damp from sweating, having had to evade all the attacks.

"Very impressive," came a sudden voice that she identified as that of the leader. "We shall make some more tests, then you go back to your cell." The speaker was turned off and she was led into another room just a few doors away.

In it, she was positioned on a chair and had a headband fixed to her head with pads oh her temples and just above her heart. The Faunus that had the honor of fixing the pads on her chest looked far too satisfied and Serena wanted to do nothing more than get away from him, but her hands had been bound with leather straps so that she couldn't. When they were finally done and the male had taken another good look at her chest, they went out of the room, closing the door behind them.

 _What? They're just going to-_

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a strong surge of electricity running through her body, making her scream. It stopped after a few seconds and then came back again, each time a little stronger and lasting a little longer. She was panting heavily, beads of sweat running down her temples and it felt like she was going to throw up any minute now, which she did not long after.

 _Eww,_ was the only thought that came to mind.

Then the door opened again and the same Faunus as before came in, one carrying a syringe while the other held what looked like a tray with medicine on it. The one with the syringe took blood examples from her while the other freed her of her bounds and the headband before quickly examining her. She could feel her head banging and her ears were ringing, but she was simply led out of the room and back into her cell again.

Dropping on her bed exhausted, she swiftly drifted off to sleep. It felt like she was barely asleep for three minutes when a loud bang on her cell bars woke her up and made her fall off the bed. Rubbing her eyes and focusing them to in front of her, she saw the leader standing there, a malicious gleam in his eyes.

"That was good work today. I expect you to keep it up. We'll need a lot more tests until we have figured out how you do it," he stated coldly, eyes unforgiving and telling her that today had only been the beginning.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked meekly, her voice just a little louder than a whisper.

"Isn't it obvious? As soon as I find out how you do it, I myself will be able to control Grimm. Then I won't be needing you anymore."

"You can't learn it like that," she replied. The man tensed and leaned forward a little, face darkening and mouth stretching into a sneer.

"Don't you tell me what I can and can't do. I will find out your secret."

"No, you won't. You'll never be able to," she argued. This only enraged him and, opening the cell door and throwing it open, he marched up to her, lifted her by the collar of her shirt and punched her square in the face. The force threw her backwards and she could feel her back colliding with the edge of her bed and taste the blood in her mouth from biting her lip. She didn't even try to get up, solely wiping away the blood that trickled down her mouth and glaring at him. This brought upon her another two punches and a few kicks in the stomach before the man finally left. She could hear him yelling at the guards that were positioned outside that she would not get any food that night.

Serena heaved herself onto the bed and lay down, her stomach grumbling in protest. But she was far too tired to care about hunger now and the beating just gave her the rest.

* * *

The days went on like that, each day passing with her going through experiments that were always more cruel and straining on her body and him beating her because he could not figure out how she did it. She got fresh clothes once, a simple white shirt with black pants, but they were quickly dirty as well. She had been granted a shower twice, every second or third day, depending on the mood of her captor. Food she had not seen much and she could feel that her body was slowly reaching its limit.

But in all that time, all she could think about was Adam.

Why wasn't he helping her, or at least visiting?

Did he even know she was here?

She longed to see him.

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **I'm so sad that the next episode is only going to come out next weekend. I want to know how it continues!**

 **About the chapter: Yep, she has it rough. I hope you liked this one and be ready for the next chapters.**

 **Don't forget to review and tell me what you think!**


	38. Chapter 38: Shock

**Chapter 38: Shock**

Ever since he had returned to the White Fang, Adam had been asked questions frequently about where he had been, what he had been doing and so on from Spike. Each time, he had told his boss the same story, scarcely revealing anything about the young woman who had saved his life. But he had seen that Spike was not happy with the little information he had gained from his most trusted agent and kept on prying, hoping that the younger man would slip once. But it never happened; Adam always kept to his story.

This, of course, had sent Spike into a brooding mood, and it was in a last resort that he had assigned his lieutenant and two of his men to a mission in the forest. Adam didn't know the details of it, but he was sure that Spike was trying to find Serena. He knew that the buffalo Faunus would use the girl for his plan and he wondered what he would do if he actually succeeded. He could not go up against Spike, he knew that, the man was too strong and had the entire organization as back-up, but he was sure to help the girl if the worst case scenario should occur.

It was then that, while walking through the hallways to get to the training room, Wilt and Blush securely held in his hand, he overheard two other Faunus, two men, talking about something. More specifically, they were talking about a new prisoner that they had made just four days ago. Normally, this would not concern Adam in the least, but when he heard the words 'Grimm' and 'control' he stopped abruptly and went over to the two men.

"Hey, you," he said gruffly, grabbing their attention immediately. The two men tensed and turned around before hurriedly bowing and greeting him with a shout of 'Sir!'. "What were you talking about just now?"

The men glanced at each other swiftly before the taller of the two answered, "We were just talking about the prisoner, sir."

Adam's eyes narrowed; he hadn't heard of any prisoner. "What prisoner?" His tone was cold and the two males stiffened even more before the other one answered this time.

"Haven't you heard about it? We captured the legendary 'Grimm Tamer' just a few days ago. Turns out it's only a little girl." This one did not seem to be as intimidated as the other one, but Adam could still see that the man knew exactly who he was talking to. "She's down in the cells."

With that bit of information, Adam turned on his heel, leaving the two men dumbfounded and briskly walked down the stairs, hand clenching his weapon. It could only be her, there was no one else who would be called the Grimm Tamer. But how had Spike found her? Was she okay? What did he even plan on doing with her?

He quickly entered the area where the cells were and walked down the long hallway, glancing into each and trying to see if she was in it. It was when he reached the last one, at the end of the corridor, that he spotted her. But what he saw made his breath hitch and his hand tighten around the blade.

In the cell was a totally different person than the one that he remembered spending time with for two weeks. The girl had the same physical appearance; black hair, small stature and bright blue eyes, but she was no longer the same. Her face and arms were covered in bruises, sporting a black eye and multiple cuts on her arms, lip and above her eye. Her clothes were torn and dirty and her hair was a mess, tangled and sticking into different directions. She had a large red burn on her right temple and, even though he could not see her other temple, Adam was sure that she had the same mark on the other side of her face. She was sitting on the metal bed, her back leaning against the wall, legs drawn up and arms resting on them, her eyes staring off into nothingness.

Adam could think of a lot of words to describe her momentary state, but the only one that came to mind was the word 'broken'. Her eyes had lost the light that they had held before and were now dull and unseeing. Her posture, once proud but not over-confident, was now just a slump, showing the defeat that she felt. She had not noticed him yet, still staring off, eyes blinking slowly sometimes.

The bull Faunus slowly opened the cell door, the metal making a slight noise but she still did not stir or even look in the direction that the noise had come from. He slowly walked over to her until he was right in front of her. Squatting down, he looked her in the eye and it was only when he said her name that she seemed to notice his presence. She blinked her eyes, as if trying to clear her vision and stared at him, trying to remember who he was.

Then, finally, it hit her and her eyes welled up. Adam reacted quickly and, sitting down on the bed beside her, he pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her, protecting her, shielding her from the hurt she must have experienced. She quietly weeped into his chest, her body shaking and hands fisting his shirt. He soothingly stroked her back with one hand while the other lay on her head and gently patted it. He found himself in a situation that he never thought he would be in.

When she finally calmed down, she pulled back and rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of the remaining tears. She looked up at him before giving him a small smile. The action almost broke his heart; he was the one responsible for getting her into this situation. If he hadn't told Spike about her then she would still be living peacefully in her cave now, surrounded by Grimm. Instead, she was here, in a cell, beaten up and dirty. Yet she still smiled at him with such warmth that he did not know what to do. Never before had he experienced such kindness.

"I missed you," her soft voice said, her eyes still smiling at him with warmth. He wanted to say something; wanted to say that he did too, that he would get her out of here, anything to make her feel better. But nothing came to mind except one thing.

"I'm sorry."

He could not forgive himself. She had treated him so well, never judged or shunned him once for being a Faunus, actually taught him some things too, and how did he repay her?

By betraying her.

"It's not your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for."

The words surprised him and, looking at her, he could see that she meant it.

"But it's my fault. If I hadn't told Spike about you then-"

"No, Adam," she cut him off. "It's not. You couldn't know what he would do. You had no other choice but to answer his questions and you couldn't know that he would do this. It's no one's fault but Spike's."

He was stunned by her words and the earnestness in them.

"Why? Why do you trust me so much?"

Serena cocked her head to the side, not understanding why he would ask such a question.

"We barely know each other. Heck, you took care of me when you found me in the woods! But you never judged me. You showed me so much kindness that I don't even know how to repay you. And you forgive me for bringing you into this kind of situation. Why? What could possibly make you, a kind person that rarely exists, trust me, a killer?"

"Because I believe in you."

The answer was too simple.

"What?"

"I believe in you. When I found you in the woods, I did not see you as a Faunus or member of the White Fang. I didn't even realize that you were a Faunus until after I treated you. I only saw a man that needed help and so, I helped you. You try to be cold and keep people at a distance, but I can see that you're a kind person, Adam. You are not a killer and you helped me a lot when you were staying with me."

She looked him defiantly in the eye, a passion burning in them that he had never seen before.

"No matter what other people might say, I'm glad I met you. You're an important person to me, Adam."

Said male was overwhelmed. This girl was so much braver and stronger than he had thought and she had a kindness and honesty that he had never encountered before. He could only chuckle at her comment and she gave a slight smile in response. Standing up, he went over to the cell's door before pausing, back turned to her.

"I'm going to get you out of here. I don't know how yet, but I will make sure that you'll be save."

"I trust you."

He nodded before leaving, closing the door and leaving her behind. Walking up the stairs again, he climbed to the second floor, knocking at Spike's door. He had to talk to the man and find out what he planned on doing with her. The command to enter came muffled through the door and he opened it with more force than necessary. Telling himself that he needed to calm down and not raise any suspicions, he closed the door more gently before bowing swiftly, like always.

"Adam, what would you need?" Spike's voice floated over. Straightening again, the red-head noticed a woman with golden eyes and red dress standing by the leader's side. She was the leader of the human trio that had made a deal with them, but he did not know why she was here.

"I do not mean to interrupt, but I heard we had a guest."

Trying to stay calm was much more difficult than he would have thought and he wondered how Serena could always be so serene.

Spike grinned slightly. "Ah, yes. We have finally found the girl that you have told me about. Quite the feisty one, but she will help us a great deal in our further plans."

"How so?" Adam asked, though he tried to keep his voice void of any suspicion. If he messed up now or let something slip, Serena would be in even greater danger than before.

"Simple; she will be the one lending me power to finally overtake this country and get rid of those wretched humans. After that, I will dispose of her. She is, after all, a human too, though a special one to wield such power." Spike's eyes had a gleam that told Adam that the man was slowly starting to lose it.

"I see. A perfect plan, sir. I will be out again, if that is okay."

Spike waved him away with a hand and Adam was out the door, walking back to his room. He needed to act, and act fast, or else the girl was as good as dead.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Thanks for the many reviews on the last chapter. Some of you already speculated on what was going to happen further on, and I have to say that some of you hit right in the** **black, though I won't tell you what's going to happen ;)**

 **Well, there's not much to say here, just that they are finally starting to grow closer. I hope it was not too sudden, so just tell me if it was perhaps too fluffy regarding the previous chapters.**

 **Don't forget to review!**


	39. Chapter 39: Planning

**Chapter 39: Planning**

Ruby was walking through the dense forest to Serena's home, excited to talk to the older female again. She had been a bit weird the last time she had visited and Ruby was intent on finding out what had caused it. When the cave that the girl lived in came into view, she called, "Hey, Serena! I'm back!"

Receiving no answer, she walked up closer to the cave. _Maybe she's gone hunting,_ Ruby thought, entering the cave. The first thing she noticed was that the fire was out. _That can't be right. She never lets it go out, even if it's summer!_ Continuing her inspection, she suddenly heard some noise behind her. Spinning around while wielding Crescent Rose, she let out a breath when she saw that it was only Ajax.

"Hey, boy. How're doing?" The animal didn't react at all and Ruby thought that it acted weird. Normally, Ajax would be all over her, smearing her face with slobber and requesting pats. But now, he just stood there and it was almost like he was lost.

"What's wrong?" she asked. This time, the Grimm did react and, grabbing her cape between his teeth, he began to drag her away from the cave, further into the forest. "H-Hey, slow down Ajax!" Ruby tried getting her cape loose but the animal had such a strong hold on her that she could do little more that simply follow him and try not to trip while in the process. It was when he abruptly stopped and let go of her cape that the young girl lost her balance and fell on her butt.

"Oww… You better have a good reason to drag me here and-" She instantly stopped her grumbling when she noticed Ajax sniffing the ground, soft whines coming from him. Standing up and dusting herself off, she walked over to where he was and squatted down beside him. On the ground were multiple footprints and marks, all in a mess.

 _Looks like they're from a fight,_ she thought. Getting up, she followed the marks until she got to a dead end. Huffing in annoyance, she had no clue what to do now. If Serena had been attacked by someone, then this was as far as she had gotten. _Now what am I supposed to do?_ she pondered. Glancing down, she suddenly noticed what seemed to be letters drawn on the ground. Squinting her eyes, she could clearly read the word 'WF'. _What's WF? Anyway, I have to inform Professor Ozpin about this!_

She quickly rushed back, using her semblance to her advantage and when she arrived at the cave, she grabbed Serena's stick that was still there and told Ajax, who had somehow caught up to her, to stay there and wait for a signal from Serena. There must have been a reason why she had not called Ajax when she had been attacked and Ruby figured that the best thing she could do right now was to tell the animal to stay put.

"I'll bring her back, ok? You and the others stay in the forest and wait for a signal from her. Don't follow me back either, it would only create a mess," she explained to the Grimm. The animal gave a snort and ran off into the forest, most likely back to its pack.

When Ruby got back to Beacon, she immediately walked towards Ozpin's office. "Hey, Ruby!" she could hear her sister call, but she was too busy and chose to ignore her. Yang, curious about her sister's behavior, started following her, calling Weiss and Blake too.

"What's going on?" the Faunus girl asked, eyeing her partner.

"I don't know but Ruby's acting strange. Something's up," the blonde quickly explained, her eyes never once leaving the back of her sister.

"What could she want from Professor Ozpin?" Weiss questioned and only now did the other two notice that their leader was, in fact, heading for Ozpin's office.

"We better find out."

The three girls quietly followed the youngest of them all and hid above the elevator, glad that it didn't go back down unless someone called for it, and listened in on the conversation between their principal and Ruby.

"Ruby. You seem troubled. What can I do for you?" they heard Ozpin ask as he put down his coffee mug.

"I'm sorry for suddenly barging in but I have something important to tell you, Professor Ozpin." Ruby's voice held an unknown seriousness that the three females rarely heard.

"Of course. You may come in as well," Ozpin called out. The three girls cringed at being discovered already before opening the latch to the elevator, dropping down and walking in too.

"Yang? Blake? Weiss? What are you doing here?" Ruby asked, eyebrows raised.

"We saw you earlier and you were acting strange so we decided to follow you," Weiss explained, resting a hand on her hip.

"This has nothing to do with you."

"Oh, it does. If it got you so riled up then it definitely has to be something big. And we're not leaving until we know what it is," Yang replied, crossing her arms across her chest to make it clear that they were not leaving any time soon. Ruby let out a sigh before turning back towards Ozpin who was patiently waiting for what the young girl had to say.

"I think we're in trouble. And I mean big trouble."

Ruby's cryptic answer only made the older man raise one eyebrow and he motioned her to continue.

"You see, a few months ago, when I was in the woods, I heard someone screaming. Acting on instinct, I ran over and met a young girl and an older one. The younger one was crying while the other one comforted her. I asked them if they were hurt since I was sure that the younger one had been attacked by Grimm but then…" Ruby paused, not knowing how the others would react to what was to come. Gulping once, she finished her sentence, "But then the younger one told me that the other one had stopped the Grimm from attacking her."

Silence fell upon the room and the three older girls at first didn't get what was so important until they ran Ruby's narration in their head again. Their eyes widened and Ruby knew that they had figured out what she was actually saying.

"What do you mean 'stopped'?" Bake asked, eyes furrowed in confusion.

"I mean it exactly as I said. She stopped the Grimm. Not killed, but stopped."

"That's impossible!" Weiss said, not believing what she was hearing.

"I thought so too. But then there was a Grimm right behind them and he didn't attack us, just went up to the older girl. She told me and the little girl that he was her friend and that he wouldn't do anything to us. And he didn't; all he did was growl once and then go back with the older girl.

"Me and the little girl, Azuna, went with her and she invited us to tea. We talked a lot and later on Serena told us about her power to actually control Grimm. She was living all by herself in the middle of the Forever Fall forest and she said that she even flew on a Nevermore once. When I left, I asked her what she planned on doing with that power and she said that she only wanted to live in peace. I visited her several times after that and we both became good friends. She even taught me how to tame Grimm."

"So you mean to tell us that a girl was living in the forest, friends with Grimm, and we never heard of or saw her?" Weiss was the first to speak, her voice holding disbelief.

"She prefers to stay in the forest and doesn't come to the city very often. But do you remember the incident three months ago, when Vale was attacked by Grimm?"

"Of course I do!" Now she sounded offended.

"Then you certainly remember a person wearing a black cloak standing next to me just before you guys got to me, right?"

"That was her?" Yang asked.

"Yep. She helped us a lot back then and it's thanks to her that no one died," Ruby replied with a smile.

"So the rumors about the Grimm Tamer…"

"…are actually about that girl," Blake finished for Yang, arms, too, crossed over her chest.

"So what makes you say that we are in trouble?" Ozpin suddenly asked, sipping some of his coffee.

"Well, when I was visiting today, Serena wasn't home. At first I though she was just out hunting but Ajax was acting strange and he dragged me deeper into the forest. There were multiple footsteps and traces of a fight there. And another thing, there was a word drawn on the ground."

"Which was?" Ozpin inquired and everyone leaned forward a little in anticipation.

"WF. I don't know what it means, but they must be the one who kidnapped Serena."

"The White Fang." Every head turned to Blake who was glaring at the ground, golden eyes alight. "WF are the initials of the White Fang."

"So that means…"

"That we are in more trouble than I thought," Ozpin said, clasping his hands together and resting is chin on them. "General Ironwood has notified me two days ago that their base on the border between Atlas and Vale got destroyed. Apparently, three males got in and destroyed their entire equipment. It will take them some time to rebuild the base. For the moment, Atlas won't be able to intervene directly. And if the White Fang has a person that possesses such power, then we can be certain that they are getting ready to launch a big attack."

"But why now? Why not two weeks ago, when the Vytal festival was still going on, or back then when the Grimm were attacking the city? Why did they wait so long?" Yang questioned, eyes slightly starting to turn red until Blake laid a calming hand on her shoulder and her eyes returned to their usual lilac color.

"Maybe precisely because the Vytal festival is no longer going on," Weiss interjected, drawing attention to her. "With the Vytal festival going on, there were a lot of military and security here. It would have been hard to plan and execute such a big assault without anything going wrong. But now, all military has left and security has weakened considerably. We are the most vulnerable right now so it would be wise to strike."

"Indeed, and I have a hunch that Beacon will be their first target," Ozpin interjected.

"What makes you say that?" Yang asked, not understanding why they should be the primary target when there were other, much more important and bigger targets than them.

"Because we are the only line of defense that Vale has at the moment. If we fall, then so does the entire kingdom," Blake explained.

"I thank you for telling me this Ruby. I will immediately alarm the other students and teachers. Glynda!" An adjacent door opened and said woman stepped inside. "Please tell all personal and students to get ready for a fight. Beacon is under attack and no one is allowed off campus without my consent. We are officially at war and everyone is to be ready for battle at any moment." The woman's eyes widened slightly but she left in an instant, setting on the alarm that told everyone that they were under attack.

"I believe you three will have to get ready as well. And Ruby," he stopped the young girl who was halfway out the door to get ready. "We will try anything to get your friend out of there unharmed."Ruby gave him a smile in appreciation and left.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **We're about to have war people! Just like in the series...**

 **But I have to tell you that the final fight won't be extremely long and the fight scenes will probably not be anything special as well since I'm not so good at writing them. But I'll still try to pack in enough action, so look forward to the next chapters!**

 **And please review and tell me what you think! Even if it's something negative just tell me what you think! I always love knowing what people think about my stories.**

 **On a side note: anyone else caught a cold or the flu. I did and it sucks. I feel for any of you who're going through the same as me.**


	40. Chapter 40: Confused

**Chapter 40: Confused**

Adam didn't know what to do. He knew that he had to help Serena; the girl had been completely broken by Spike and the human woman. But he also knew that he couldn't just go and betray Spike, at least not in the obvious way. He owed the buffalo Faunus a lot; it was him who had taken him in, given him a home and trained him to become the best agent of the White Fang. Betraying him should be the last thing on his mind.

Yet, the moment he had seen Serena, the blank look on her face and her beaten up body, he had felt a spark of hate ignite in himself. It had been so great that he had had to use all of his strength to not attack the two responsible the moment he had stepped into Spike's office. The way the man had talked about the girl, that he was going to kill her once she was no longer of use to him, Adam could have sworn he would have ripped off his head. And the woman had just smiled, thinking that he didn't known she was there.

But they weren't the only ones to blame for this. It was him who had decided to tell them about the girl and her power, he had even told them where she lived, though he had hoped he had concealed that fact as good as possible. But the Faunus had figured it out somehow and now she was part of something that had nothing to do with her. If anything, he was to blame for all of it.

Yet he had not seen any sign of hate, not even the smallest sign of disdain in her eyes. No, all she had done was cry into him and hold on to him as if he was the most important person in her life. She had even told him that this was not his fault, and he almost believed her. The kindness and forgiveness that she had, she appeared more and more like a saint, never once hating someone, always being forgiving and kind.

It reminded him of the time he had first woken up after being attacked by Grimm and she had been there. He had attacked her, threatened her life, but she had remained calm and said that he would only hurt himself further if he kept on straining his body. She was overall a very calm person and it seemed to take effect of him. No longer did he feel the deep hate that he used to feel when he was with her and he had actually had fun, a thing long forgotten to him. Somehow, she had managed to soothe his soul and help him overcome all that had happened to him.

But would she really accept him if she knew what he had done, knew of the countless lives that he had taken?

He didn't know.

So, in order to somehow get order back into his emotions and find a solution to his predicament, he left his room in search of the only person he trusted enough to talk with about something like this. Stopping in front of another door that looked exactly the same as his, he knocked and waited. A few seconds later, the metal slid to the side and revealed the face of Raven Brown.

"Adam, what can I do for you?" She seemed surprised to see him there; it was not like him to come and visit her. If anything, he preferred to keep to himself and avoid any kind of interaction with others.

"I need your help."

Those words were enough to make her eyes widen slightly. Bending forward, she looked to both sides, checking if anyone was coming, before ushering him inside and sliding the door closed. Her room was no different from his, only that it held a small sitting area with two armchairs and a lamp. Gesturing towards it, she went ahead and took the seat by the lamp while he took the one that faced the rest of the room.

"What do you need help with?" her voice asked cautiously since this was the first time ever that she had heard him ask for help. Advice okay, but help? Something had to be up.

"You know about the fact that I was gone for about over two weeks, right?" He looked at her and she nodded. Everyone had heard about it, but no one kew where he had been. "Yeah, well, the thing is, when I was on that mission, my team and I got attacked by Grimm and the two who were with me got killed."

Raven wasn't sure where this was going. She knew that the other two, Eric and Steve, had been killed; they'd never gotten back. But what did that have to do with him needing help? Although she was curious, she decided to let him continue. Maybe he would tell her on his own accord.

"I got injured pretty bad and was about to get killed by an Ursa, but someone stopped it. The next thing I know, I'm in some cave and there is that girl. She took care of me, treated my wounds and all. You've heard the rumors about the Grimm Tamer, right?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Well, she is the Grimm Tamer. She taught me some things, I trained her a little and when I had to go back, I left her behind. The problem is, Spike and that human wanted to know where I had been, so I told them about her, though not all. But they somehow figured out where she lived and now she's the one who we are holding prisoner."

So far she had understood everything, but she still didn't get what he was on about. Then it suddenly hit her.

"You want to help her escape."

It wasn't a question but a statement.

She could see his eyes from behind the mask, the red of them glowing fiercely. It was enough to indicate that she was right with her assumption, but it also told her that, should she say anything about it to Spike or someone else, she was dead. She was surprised at the amount of emotion that he displayed suddenly, since he wasn't really the most open person in the world. But he seemed to be serious about this.

"Let me ask you one thing," she continued and he remained silent, waiting for the question. "Do you love her?"

Adam tensed. Love her? He knew that he felt something for the girl, but love…

"No," he replied flatly.

"Alright, let me phrase it another way; do you care about her?"

"Yes." The answer came immediately, no moment of hesitation or anything.

"Would you ever hurt her?"

"Never."

"Then you are most likely in love with her, or at least like her a lot."

Adam scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it really? The you I know would have killed her the moment you were healed, yet you did not. Then, when you told Desde about her, you tried to leave out as much as possible about her. You come here, seeking help because you feel responsible for her being held captive by us and you want to tell me that you don't even like her?"

"Why should I like or even love a human?! Humans are the root of all the problems that we have, they are the one who shun us and look down on us." Adam's voice had risen and Raven knew that she had hit the right spot, otherwise he wouldn't be reacting like this.

"Then did she shun you? Did she look down on you?" she questioned, voice louder to match his.

Adam stocked. She hadn't. Not once, during all the time that he had been with her did she show any sign of looking down on him like the other humans. No, she had seen him as a human, not a Faunus, but just a human.

His silence was enough to answer Raven's question.

"Adam, I know how loyal you are to Desde and the White Fang, but sometimes, people are more important than them. I know what can happen when you put your mission over the people that you care for," she said, thinking back to her sister Yang whom she had had to leave in order to keep working for the White Fang. She regretted it more than anything. "If you truly love this girl, then fight for her, protect her."

"What if she doesn't love me?" His voice was no longer the flat one that Raven knew. It was filled with insecurity and genuine worry. "What if she doesn't love methe way I love her? What if my feelings are one-sided, if she does not want to be with me? I'm a Faunus and member of the White Fang. I've killed people without a second thought. What if she doesn't want to be with a monster like me?"

"Then let her go. She has to choose you on her own; you can't force her to love you. If she truly loves you, then she will stay. She will accept you for who you are and forgive you for what you've done. If she doesn't, then let her go."

Silence reigned for a few minutes before Adam got up and left without a word. Entering his own room, he sat down on his bed, arms resting on his knees and head hanging low, thinking. Raven was right. Serena had done so much for him, taught him without once thinking that he could use it against her, treated him with such love and care. He couldn't abandon her, he had seen how lonely she was, the pain she herself felt from having lost her family. He was sure that, should he abandon her as well, she would break and no one would be able to mend her. Yes, she was a strong girl, but she was only that; a girl.

He thought back to a conversation that they had once had about the White Fang. She had said that their goal was a righteous one, but not the methods. It dawned on him then that he had killed people without any reason sometimes. She had told him that he would lose himself if he continued going down that road, she was trying to save him.

Now, he had to pay back the favor and do the same for her. Even if it cost him his life, he would protect her no matter what.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Whew, already the 40th chapter. I can't believe that I actually got this far, and there is more to come.**

 **Anyway, just to explain why I made Raven Yang's sister: I think that she would be too young to be her mother considering that Yang's already 17 and Raven looks no older than 25. So, I just decided to make them sisters, which I think will work as well. And I know that it's been proved that Raven IS her mother, but I'll stick with my version.**

 **Anyway, don't forget to review and tell me what you think. And look forward to the next chapter!**


	41. Chapter 41: Move Out

**Chapter 41: Move Out**

The sound of heavy footsteps and yelling was what woke Serena up from her slumber. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and sat up, blanket falling to her legs. There was no one by her cell, yet she could make out the orders that were barked out by some White Fang members. Getting up, she went over to the door and, closing her hands around the bars, leaned a little forward, trying to see what all the commotion was about. Shadows were running past, ignoring her and she could make out the words 'bullhead', 'get ready' and 'Beacon'. The later word made her anxious; why would they be talking about Beacon?

The hinges of the door at the other end of the corridor cringed and it was thrown open by one of the Faunus who brought her food in the evening. He was sweating slightly and she could see that he must have worked until just now. He brusquely walked up to her cell and, jamming the key into the lock and opening the door, he walked inside. Serena had stumbled backwards by the movement and saw something get thrown at her. Catching it, she inspected the thing to see that it was a clean white T-Shirt and black pants.

"Get dressed, we're leaving," was the only explanation she received and the door was thrown shut again, key turning in the lock.

The man left her and Serena quickly changed into the fresh garments. Her old ones were torn and dirty and the clean material felt like heaven against her bruised skin. Running her fingers quickly through her hair, she saw that there was something lying on the ground. Picking it up, she was surprised to see that it was a hairbrush. _It must be something really important if they give me a hair brush,_ she mused, quickly running the object through her messy hair, making it look presentable again. Though there was still some dirt left in it, she felt cleaner now.

The man returned and, opening the door yet again, he walked up to her and grabbed her hands. She was about to protest when the feel of cold metal closed around her wrist and she looked down to see a pair of handcuffs connected to a chain dangling from them.

"Come on," the Faunus ordered and pulled on the chain, making her stumble slightly and follow him out the door. She looked back once, almost wishing to be back in the small room before exiting the hallway and entering another one. Faunus, both male and female, ran past, each carrying something or yelling orders at the others. They entered a big hall and Serena saw a few planes, most of them being loaded by the Faunus. Only one plane was not swarmed by them and the male Faunus led her towards it.

When they stopped in front of the aircraft, Serena looked from behind the man's back and spotted Spike and the woman, Cinder, both inside the plane, talking with some other Faunus. A shock of red caught her attention and the girl directed her attention towards it, spotting Adam who was leaning against the side of the plane. He did not look at her, glaring at the Faunus that were rushing around and only briefly did she think that he did look at her, although she couldn't be sure since he was wearing his mask.

Her inspection of her surroundings was roughly interrupted when she was pulled forward and into the plane, passing by Adam, head low. She was pushed down onto a seat and her chains were fastened on a railing that ran along the inside of the plane. Tugging on them once, she gave up soon, noticing that they were too fast for her to get out of and sighed in defeat. Just then, Spike walked up to her, a malicious grin on his face, arms slightly spread out.

"Ah, Miss Serena, so happy you could join us," he greeted her, mockery evident in his tone. "I hope that you have enjoyed your stay with us?"

"Not really," she replied coldly, eyes glaring. She really couldn't stand the man. "What's going on?"

"Ah, yes, I'm sure that you would like to know. Well, let me just tell you that it will be your grand moment soon, my dear."

Serena knew what he was referring to, he had told her all about his diabolic plan to use her power in order to submit Vale and the other kingdoms. Although she had told him time and time again that she would not play to his plan, he had kept on talking about it, beating her every single time she had refused to comply or disobeyed him. She told him again that she would not help him, but that only made his grin widen.

"No matter, that will not be for you to decide. Adam," he called out, and the man appeared immediately. "Tell everyone to board, we are leaving." Adam nodded before yelling out the order, Faunus quickly getting into the planes. Another boy and girl, one with grey and the other with green hair boarded the plane as well, and Serena was surprised to see kids there until she figured that they probably belonged to Cinder since they were also humans.

Adam walked inside the bullhead, taking a seat opposite from Serena, arms crossed across his chest. Looking her over once, he could see that she at least had some fresh clothes, if nothing else. Parts of her face were still swollen and he could tell by the way she was sitting that she still had some bruises on her body. _Damn him!_ he cursed, hands fisting onto his coat, body tensing.

The roof of the White Fang base opened and soon all of the eight bullheads were up in the air, holding all the members of the White Fang. Heading off, they headed for Beacon Academy, landing right in front of the school, on the campus.

Ruby and the others saw the bullheads when they were just about to land a few hundred feet away from them. All of Beacon's personal, including Professor Ozpin, had gathered, most Teams by their side. Those who did not feel confident enough had decided to head to Vale, away from the fight. All the teachers had their weapons in place, ready to attack immediately, though Ozpin still held his coffee mug in his hand.

The bullhead that was closest to them opened its cargo hold first and out walked six people, followed by the rest of the White Fang members that were exiting the other bullheads. If Ruby had to estimate, then she would say that they were up against about seventy men and women, the six excluded. On their side they had about twenty people, more or less.

The numbers were not in their favor.

"Hey, Ruby, isn't that the girl you told us about?" Yang suddenly asked. Looking around, Ruby finally spotted Serena… together with the White Fang!

"What's she doing here? And with them? I thought you said she was on our side," Weiss exclaimed, eyes narrowing at the horde of Faunus.

"She is!" Ruby tried to defend her friend, but even she was shocked to see the girl together with their enemy, beside what seemed to be the leader nonetheless.

"I don't think she's here willingly. Look," Blake interrupted, pointing at the girl. The three girls looked a little closer and saw what their friend meant. On her wrist, there were handcuffs, linked with a chain that was held by the leader. "It's clear that they took her hostage."

"Indeed, Miss Belladonna."

The sudden voice of Professor Ozpin made team RWBY look towards the man. He still had his coffee mug in hand, but the look in his eyes told them that he was not at all relaxed. He was just as ready to fight as the others were. Handing the mug over to Miss Goodwitch who stood beside him, Ozpin walked in front of the group, placing his cane in front of him. The sound of the metal hitting the ground echoed in the tense silence.

"Members of the White Fang," he started, voice loud and clear. "There is no need to fight. We do not seek to fight you and if you leave now, there will be no need to do so."

None of the members moved; clearly they would not leave without a fight. Blake regarded each of them carefully, recognizing some from her own time in the organization until her eyes landed on the man standing beside the captured girl. Her old mentor still looked the same. Blake felt a sudden pang of sadness at having to fight him. It was him who had taken care of her for a long time and, if she was honest with herself, she did not want to fight him. But this was a battle and she couldn't be picky; if he decided to fight for what he believed in, then she would fight for what she believed in.

The sudden sound of loud laughter tore her attention back to Spike, the leader. She had never liked the man, not once since he had taken over and it was because of him and his methods that she had left the organization in the first place.

"Oh please, you and your students do not even stand a chance!" Spike was smiling like a mad man and Serena knew that all hope was lost for him. "You say that you don't want to fight us? Well, tough luck, 'cause you won't have any other chance. I am sure that all of you have heard of the mysterious Grimm Tamer. I'm afraid to tell you, but she's on our side!" he exclaimed, showing Serena off like some kind of trophy.

Confusion broke out among the students, some believing his words while others didn't know what to believe. But Ozpin quickly silenced them with a clang of his cane.

"Allow me to introduce Serena Caldron, the Grimm Tamer! I say you better surrender now or die later, which ever suits you best," Desde declared, more laughter coming out of his mouth. Ozpin lifted his head and every student and teacher took out their weapon, prepared for the battle that would soon ensue.

"Fine, then all of you will die here! Summon the Grimm, girl!" he ordered, turning towards Serena. She took a few steps away, moving towards the students and teachers, some almost thinking that she was going to comply, before turning around. Her eyes glowed a fierce blue, fiercer than ever before and she lifted her head to glare him right in the eye.

"I won't."

Silence reigned, no one dared to breathe, solely listening to what the raven-haired girl was saying.

"I already told you before that I won't help you and I'm not going to change my mind. You can kill me if you want but I won't do it!"

Spike's eyes glared at her in anger and he took a step towards her, making the people of Beacon advance a step as well, as though they were attempting to shield the girl from the Faunus.

"You damn bitch, do it now! Call the Grimm!" he yelled, advancing another step and Ruby was ready to fire off Crescent Rose if he took one more step.

"I won't!"

The answer was clear and Spike realized that it was no use.

"Then you are no longer of use to me. Cinder!"

The woman stepped up beside him, a similar wicked smirk on her face, golden eyes glowing.

"Kill her."

Serena's eyes widened and she had no idea what to do. She had told him to kill her, but now that he was actually about to do it, she felt more scared and helpless than ever. Looking behind her, she could see Ruby get ready to run up to her, but she knew that the girl wouldn't make it in time. And even if she did, she would only be killed in her stead.

"My pleasure," Cinder replied, her red dress lighting up. Gathering a big flame in her hand, she launched it at the defenseless girl, the shot aiming straight for her heart.

"Serena!"

Ruby had horror written all over her face, witnessing the flame getting closer and closer to her friend. She was about to use her semblance and go in-between, but before she could even think about moving, a blur of black and red jumped in front of Serena, drawing a weapon in the blink of an eye and absorbing the attack.

"I don't think so."

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **The big final fight is finally here! I hope you're as pumped up as I am about the next chapter, even though I'm writing it. But it's still so much fun to write this story, especially the following chapters, and I'm so excited to see what I come up with next. So stay tuned for the next chapter and review, tell me what you think!**

 **By the way, have you guys seen the newest episode. It's a total shock. I won't be spoilering here, but let me just tell you that you're mind's going to be blown to smithereens.**

 **And there will also be a special upadte tomorrow since it'll be my 18th birthday! Yay, finally!**


	42. Chapter 42: Revolt (Special Update)

**And here it is: the special update for my 18th Birthday. Finally an adult!**

* * *

 **Chapter 42: Revolt**

Blake couldn't believe her eyes, blinking multiple times to make sure that she was awake and seeing right. After blinking three more times and pinching herself four times, she finally realized that she was, in fact, not dreaming and that what had just happened had actually happened. She looked at her teammates and saw the same confusion on their faces that she felt within her. Even Spike seemed surprised!

Adam, her old partner, the mentor that had believed in the White Fang and was their most loyal agent, was actually opposing the White Fang, more specifically Spike and the woman, whom she now realized was actually Cinder. She had been hurt by the fact that he had shown up today, worried about the possibility that she would have to fight him, but now… Now she didn't know what to think or how to act. From the reactions of the people, neither did they.

"I can't believe it," she breathed out, Yang catching her partner's surprised tone.

"What's wrong Blake?" she asked, glancing at the cat Faunus in concern. She knew of her old ties to the White Fang, but she wasn't sure what made the girl react in such a way.

"That's Adam," Blake said, nodding her head towards the tall red-head that was still standing protectively in front of the girl. Now that Blake looked closer, it seemed like he cared about the human, at least enough to go against Desde. Maybe things would turn out in their favor after all.

"Adam?" Yang pondered for a while before remembering the night they had camped in Mountain Glenn with Professor Oobleck and Blake had mentioned that name. "You mean your old partner?"

"Uh-huh."

Yang looked at the man closely. So this was the man that had trained her partner while she had been part of the White Fang? He was tall was the first thing she noticed, towering over the chained girl although he was still slightly crouched. The black trench coat, pants and gloves matched well with his hair and she noticed that he was, all things considered, quite attractive, though not her type. By the position and the way he held himself, the blonde could tell that he had a lot of fighting experience; it was like he was ready to jump into action any moment of time.

Conclusion: he was a tough opponent. But if he was actually helping the girl, then that meant that he was no longer with the White Fang and, if they were lucky, maybe even on their side.

"What is the meaning of this Adam?"

The stern and cold voice of the leader broke the tense silence that had reigned. Both sides were confused, Beacon not knowing what to do and the White Fang not knowing why one of their highest-ranked members would suddenly oppose their leader. Adam stood tall again, lowering his sword though not sheathing it, ready for the next attack. He looked at Spike for a while before speaking.

"Can't you see it? I'm leaving, Spike."

Murmurs broke out among the Faunus, until a second person, a woman, walked up beside the red-head and stood by his side, back turned to the teachers and students of Beacon.

"So am I," a female voice said, slightly muffled by the large mask that covered the entire face of the woman.

"No, you will not. Both of you will stand down immediately and get out of my way or I'll have both of you killed!" Spike's voice had gotten louder and he was shouting at the end of the sentence, nose flaring and face flushed red from anger. Confusion among the White Fang rose with no one knowing what to do. Now, not only one, but two high-ranked members were defecting from the organization.

"We will not," Adam responded, tone cold and dead set, not budging an inch.

Then, the both of them did something that stunned everyone, leaving them with their mouths slightly agape. Both Adam and Raven tore off their masks, throwing them so that they landed in front of Spike's feet. Now, everyone knew what they looked like, knew the identity that had been hidden so cautiously within the organization.

Angry shouts and questions soon filled the air, members accusing the both of treason while the Beacon teachers tried to figure out if the two were to be treated as allies or enemies. Amongst all the confusion and shouting, Yang realized that the woman beside the red-headed man was none other than her sister Raven. The last time she had seen her had been when she had still been little and she remembered the woman telling her something about having to leave and that it was the only way.

She had been angry at the time, sad that she had lost her sister, disappointed and hurt that she had been left behind. But now, she understood why she had done it, and deep within, she was grateful for it. At least now, it looked like her sister would come back to her.

"Stop this nonsense at once and stand down you two!"

"We will no longer follow you nor the White Fang, Spike. It's over." Adam's red eyes glared angrily at the man in front of him.

"No, it's not! We, the White Fang, are stronger than any of you!" It was clear that the man had now officially lost his mind, becoming a megalomaniac.

"Face it, you're outnumbered. Back in the past, I thought that what we did was right, that we would actually achieve something with what we're doing."

Adam looked at the other members of the White Fang. Their cries of protest and anger had died down and they were now intently listening to what he had to say.

"But my eyes have been opened! We didn't try to make things better, we only made them worse! Nothing is going to change by killing and threatening people."

He stopped briefly to look behind him at Serena, the girl looking at him with an expression of confusion and surprise but also gentleness, happy that he had finally found his way. He turned back around and faced the crowd again.

"If we want to change things, then we have to do it alongside and with the help of humans. I didn't realize it before because all I cared about was the organization and the missions. But now, I have someone more important to protect. And I won't let you or anyone else take her away from me!"

Serena raised her hands to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. Even if he wasn't saying it openly, everyone knew he was talking about her. The way he had looked at her had said more than a thousand words and she was now certain that he felt the same way about her as she did about him. Quickly wiping at her eyes, she scolded herself, telling herself that she had enough time to be emotional when all of this was over and they had actually won this fight.

"As do I." It was Raven who had talked and she looked behind her shoulder and gave Yang a gentle smile. "I too have someone more important and I will protect her as well, even if I should lose my life in the process."

The Faunus seemed taken aback by Adam and Raven's words and Serena could see that some of them were starting to doubt the White Fang as well. Blake had tears at the corners of her eyes, not believing what she was witnessing. She would never have thought that Adam would be the one to oppose the White Fang first, and for a human girl no less. But it made her happy, seeing her mentor had not become the monster she had dreaded he would eventually.

"I see. You two are foolish to think you can win this fight, but no less, there will be no mercy shown. White Fang, attack!"

Spike raised his right arm and pointed it at the three, the teachers and students, giving the signal to attack. After a small moment of hesitation, the Faunus followed the order and rushed forward, teachers and students doing the same.

Cinder prepared another attack and fired it at Adam and Serena, but Adam absorbed it like the first time with Wilt and Blush, before attacking himself, metal clashing with glass. Raven quickly cut the chains that still bound Serena's hands before going off as well, engaging Spike in a duel. Serena rushed to Adam, intend on helping him in any way she could, even if she was weaponless at the moment.

The fight was on.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Yes, the final fight is on! From now on, there will be some, although not many chapters, about the fight, and then I'll be progressing and throwing in some more romance since there hasn't really been much yet.**

 **Anyway, review and tell me what you think and look forward to chapter 43!**


	43. Chapter 43: Fight – Part I

**Chapter 43: Fight - Part 1**

As soon as the leader had given the sign for the White Fang to attack, Blake and Yang had sprung into action as had all the others as well. Most students went up against unknown members whereas the both girls had decided that Mercury Black, the man who had fooled them all this time, would be their target.

Yang attacked first, fist aiming straight for his head, coming down with a battlecry before the gray-haired male dodged it and sprung to the side, the greaves on his feet firing off a round to give him some more momentum. Blake was there immediately, throwing Gambol Shroud at him, though intentionally missing him, only to pull the weapon back and fire off a few rounds. Unfortunately, he always managed to avoid them and got close enough to knock the weapon away, striking her in the stomach. Blake stumbled backwards, grabbing her stomach, feeling the bruise that would be there the next day.

Looking up, she saw that Yang was once again the one on the offensive, throwing punches and kicks at Mercury. But the man was good, always managing to block or parry her attacks, sending some of his own her way. A moment of carelessness was all he needed to connect his foot with the blonde's stomach, using his weapons to push her so that she flew a few feet before skidding on the ground.

"Yang!" Blake cried out, worried for her partner who remained motionless on the ground.

It was true that the blonde girl would get stronger with every hit, but even then she was still open to physical attacks. A Faunus wanted to take advantage of the busty girl's defenseless situation, but he had not taken into account her partner who promptly shot his leg before rushing over and knocking him out. Kneeling down, she lifted Yang's head, shaking it lightly to try and bring the girl back to consciousness.

"Yang, wake up! This is no time to faint!" she urged, slapping her cheek once. This seemed to do the trick and her partner regained her senses, opening her eyes and blinking a few times, then quickly getting up alongside Blake.

"Thanks," she said, reloading Ember Celica, her semblance firing up for the continuation of the fight.

"Are we done yet?" Mercury asked, lifting a brow while smirking at the two girls. "Or does the bimbo still need time to get ready?"

"Who're you calling bimbo?!" Yang yelled, eyes turning red.

"What? I'm just stating the truth," the male replied, the smirk widening and showing more and more his evil personality.

"You know, I've always had my suspicions about you Mercury, and now I have proof that they were correct."

"Oh? What gave me away?" he asked, curious how the blonde had figured out that he was not who he pretended to be. The girl seemed to be cleverer than she looked.

"Not much, but I got some help from someone so I was on the watch," Yang replied, a smirk now on her face as well. "Anyway, let's get on with the fight!" she declared, her aura exploding around her, looking as if it was fire.

"You're on!"

The both of them clashed again, guns against guns and fists against feet. They jumped around, dealing out and receiving blows, avoiding the attacks of the other one while trying to land a blow of their own. Blake looked for an opening, firing off a few rounds occasionally and interfering sometimes, backing up her partner, but she knew that Yang was more proficient in hand-to-hand combat and her semblance only aided her in that. So she continued to be the back up, trying to come up with a plan on how to defeat the boy and end this battle.

Yang sprung back, landing next to the cat Faunus, breathing heavily from the fight. Mercury was in no better shape and he grunted when touching his side, cursing himself for letting her hit him there. He had been too reckless, a fact Cinder had always warned him about.

"Yang, I got a plan," Blake muttered, keeping her golden eyes trained on their opponent that stood across from them. She noticed how he clutched his side and figured that Yang must have managed to land a decent hit on him.

Yang looked at Blake, breathing becoming more regularly. "What plan?"

"Listen; you'll continue to fight him as you did just now, try to keep him as focused as before. I'll use that time to catch him off-guard and use my semblance to knock him out or, if I don't manage to, create an opening for you," she explained.

"Okay."

Yang rushed forward again, a battle cry coming from her mouth into which she poured all her energy, kicking out her leg, Mercury blocking it with his arms. He threw it back and jumped up, intend on hitting her in the head, but she dodged and so the fight went on, Blake remaining in the background and waiting for her chance while the other fights raged on around them.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **I know, I know, not much of a fight scene, but they aren't really what I want to focus on, so I guess that the other scenes will be pretty much the same.**


	44. Chapter 44: Fight – Part II

**Chapter 44: Fight - Part II**

Immediately as the fight had started, Raven had attacked Spike, noticing that Adam and the girl were going up against Cinder. She had figured that the bull Faunus had a score to settle with the woman and decided that she could at least keep his back free from Spike.

Drawing her long blade, she rushed forward and attacked the man, but he noticed her in time and grabbed the hammer that he had brought with him as his weapon and knocked the sharp blade away from him. She quickly recovered, jumped over him and attacked again, but it resulted in the same way. He struck her with the hammer, and Raven quickly brought up her sword to protect herself, but the force of the blow made her skid back several feet. Regaining her balance, she positioned herself in a position to attack again while Spike rested his weapon on his shoulder.

"I didn't think that you would go against me as well," he said, eyeing her with contempt.

"Well, I've got better things to do than follow some megalomaniac," she replied.

"Hah, and what could that be?" The buffalo Faunus snorted arrogantly and gave a wicked grin, cocking his eyebrow in challenge.

"For one, I have a family to protect, unlike you."

The man seemed to snap at that and rushed forward, swinging his hammer at her in an attempt to knock her over. Raven evaded each of his hits, careful to not bump into one of the other fighters that were around her while still keeping an eye on her opponent. She could tell that he was starting to lose control of not only himself, but also of the battle. It would only be a matter of time until he became imprudent and that would be her chance to take him out.

One moment she quickly glanced over to her sister Yang to see how she and her partner were faring, but that one moment granted Spike an opportunity that he had been waiting for. He swung the hammer with more force than before and send her flying backwards. Raven crashed into one of the teachers from Beacon, a man with green hair and glasses. He was startled by her sudden crash into him, but diverted his attention back to his own fight quickly.

"Are you alright miss?" he asked quickly, glancing at her.

"Yeah, sorry about that," she said, nodding in thanks as he grabbed her arm and heaved her up. He nodded back and each got back to their fight.

A few feet away from the ongoing fight between the ex-member of the White Fang and its leader, Weiss was battling against Emerald. The green-haired thief had attacked the heiress immediately since Weiss had intended to also fight against Cinder. So, being the good follower she was, she had intercepted the Schnee and was now shooting her guns at the girl.

Weiss quickly used her Dust Rapier and put up an ice shield, taking cover behind it. When the fire ceased, she jumped up from behind it and used her Semblance to propel herself forward. Emerald avoided her and resumed shooting, Weiss using dust to send out ice that would intercept the bullets before they could make contact with her.

This annoyed Emerald and she ran forward, engaging her in a hand-to-hand combat. She was better in this than Weiss was and the heiress noticed this. A kick to the side made her stumble backwards and knocked the air out of her. Emerald followed suit and used her sickles to cut the girl on the arms and legs, kicking her again and making her fall to the ground. She walked up to the girl with an arrogant grin, twirling her weapons in her hands.

"Honestly, I though that the heiress of the Schnee Company would put up more of a fight. Or is the princess not used to getting her hands dirty?" she asked.

Narrowing her blue eyes, Weiss replied with venom, "I am _not_ a princess. And if you think I'm done already then you are wrong."

"Oh, did I anger her majesty?"

"You'll see what you've done," she replied, jumping back to her feet and sending out an attack using dust. The green-haired girl countered this however and soon they were back in the battle that they had been in before.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **I am so sorry that this chapter is so short, but the next ones will be the really important ones so I don't want to dwell too long on these fights. So please don't be mad and look forward to the next chapters where there will be a lot of change happening.**

 **And don't forget to review!**


	45. Chapter 45: Synchronization

**The chapter you've all been waiting for!**

 **Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I love you all so much, hence the double update. Enjoy! ;)**

* * *

 **Chapter 45: Synchronization**

Ruby had joined Serena and the man that had protected her friend from Cinder in their battle against the woman. She rushed over to them and shot a few rounds with Crescent Rose to keep the enemy at distance until she was standing next to Serena. Reaching behind her back, she drew Serena's stick from where she had secured it.

"Serena!" she called, throwing her the weapon after the older girl had evaded an attack from Cinder. Serena jumped up and caught her weapon, spinning around and getting into position, ready to fight.

"Thanks Ruby!" she called back, smiling to the girl. She was glad that she had her weapon; at least now she could help Adam and Ruby in their fight.

Adam was doing most of the fighting for the moment, his body avoiding the attacks sent at him while he tried cutting the woman with his sword. He was even quicker than when they had sparred together and Serena wondered just how much he had held back when he'd been fighting with her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another White Fang member try to sneak up on him and attack him. Acting on instinct, she rushed over and blocked the man's sword just when it was about to hit Adam. Stick held high and protectively in front of her, she glared at the man as he applied more pressure, making her legs bent and her arms start to give way with the growing force. The man grinned and applied even more pressure, but Serena swiftly pulled her leg up and kicked him in the stomach. Since he hadn't been guarding his lower body, the force of the attack made him stagger back a little, dropping his sword.

Adam looked over his shoulder, noticing that the girl had stopped the attack and was now in a fight herself. She met his eyes and gave him a smile and nod. "I've got your back," she said reassuringly and he gave a small smile in return before focusing back on his own enemy.

"Damn you little girl, don't interfere!" the rabbit Faunus growled when he saw that the raven-haired girl was intent on fighting him. Serena ignored him and attacked with her weapon, aiming the stick for his feet to try and knock him off balance. The man jumped over it, however, and slashed at her with his sword. Serena quickly jumped back before attacking him again, throwing her stick and aiming for any vital part on his body.

Ruby was busy battling a female Faunus with a sickle attached to a chain. It was an old weapon, but it gave her a lot of trouble since the woman had pretty good control over it and attacked her from every direction. She used Crescent Rose to block the sickle just as it was about to strike her in the stomach. Jumping back in a somersault, she landed nimbly on her feet before firing a few rounds. The woman blocked them all with her sickle and threw it forward again.

"Uh oh," Ruby muttered as she tried to evade once more, but she wasn't quick enough and the sharp blade cut her on her left arm, making her wince. She used her semblance and ran forward, locking the woman in close combat, using Crescent Rose to try and disable the woman, but not kill her. Finally, she managed to knock the weapon out of the Faunus' hand and struck her in the stomach with the blunt end of her weapon. But this short period of peace was quickly disturbed by another Faunus attacking her.

"Come on," she grumbled, parrying the man's attacks, glancing over to her friend.

Serena had finally managed to defeat her opponent and, looking over at Adam, she saw that he was having a hard time with his opponent, the woman having somehow acquired a pair of swords out of glass and it seemed that she was evenly matched against the bull Faunus. Her red dress lit up and every time it did, she either sent out what looked to be attacks made out of fire or created new weapons made out of glass. If she wanted to help Adam, then she had to find a way to prevent her from using those powers of hers.

 _But how? If I attack her, she'll just beat me with her fire attacks. And I'll get in the way as well; Adam can't fight with me around,_ she realized, disappointed that she had no way to help the man who had done so much for her.

Suddenly, she felt a great number of Grimm heading towards the city. It felt like all the Grimm that lived in the forest were coming towards them. She figured that they were attracted to all the negative emotions like hate that the Faunus were feeling. But if they wanted to get to them, then they would have to go through the city, which meant that they would encounter people. Concentrating, she looked for Ajax's and Napoleon's auras, and when she found them, sent them calming feelings. She was sure that they would know what that meant; those two were clever.

But while she was doing that, she was open to attacks and Cinder didn't hesitate a second when she saw that the girl was not concentrating. Loading an attack, she sent it towards the girl and it hit her straight in the abdomen, making her gasp and fall to the ground. Serena's skin was burning and she could tell that the fire had lightly scorched it, probably leaving another scar behind.

"Serena!"

Adam had seen the attack and how it had hit the girl. By her look and the way she was gripping her stomach, it must have hurt a lot and possibly injured her. The bad thing was that, while he was worried about the blue-eyed girl and looking at her concerned, he lost his concentration on the fight. Cinder again took the chance, this time sending out an even greater attack. It hit him in the chest, making him fall back. The wound started to bleed and he could feel the old wound start to throb.

"This is it," Cinder said, loading another attack, this one far greater than the ones before. It was a gigantic fireball and he was sure that, if she hit him with that, he would be in great danger of loosing his life. He tried getting up, but the throbbing and pain didn't allow his body to function properly. He looked over to Serena and saw her looking at him with wide eyes, knowing what would happen to him. He didn't even have time to say anything before Cinder launched the attack, a wicked smile on her face and golden eyes glowing.

Serena didn't think what she was doing, she didn't even realize what she was until she had done it. She felt her body move, legs running and trying to get to the red-haired male as fast as possible. She was conscious of the attack heading for him and also what would happen if she were to be hit by it. But it was like her mind and body didn't care.

All she wanted to do was get to Adam.

She skidded to a stop in front of him, arms spread and eyes defiant when the attack hit. She could see Ajax and the others coming up from the corner of her eye and she felt sorry that she would leave them all alone. But instead of feeling searing pain and dying, she felt the energy of the attack entering her body, spreading throughout it until it was completely absorbed.

Adam stared wide-eyed at the girl who had just thrown herself in front of him. And for what? To protect him. He knew that she felt something for him, but he didn't think that she would go as far as give her own life to save his. He watched as the attack hit her, entered her body but instead of her falling to her knees or screaming out in pain like she should have, she remained standing, arms dropping back to her sides.

Serena looked at her hands with wide eyes. What had she just done? She should be dead, the force of the attack was enough to kill her. So why wasn't she? She looked over to Ajax and the others and suddenly, she heard them. Like, really heard them, their thoughts entering her mind.

 _Well done, child,_ she heard a voice and thought that it had to be Napoleon. The Grimm was looking at her in a way that told her that he was quite proud of her. _You have finally fully synchronized with us._

 _Synchronized?_ she asked back through her mind and Napoleon nodded his head.

 _Yes. You have been accepted by each and every Grimm and now, you have the power to communicate with us and, as you have just seen, absorb energy._

 _But why me? What have I done to be granted this kind of power?_ she asked, not understanding why she of all people should be given such a great power.

 _You, child, have done more than you think. You are the sole human who has accepted us for what we are. Therefor, it will be you who will form a bridge between us and the humans. You have seen that we only mean to help humans and now, you can fulfill this mission by connecting our world with that of the humans as it was always meant to be._

The fights around them had stopped as Faunus and Beacon students and teachers had witnessed the girl absorbing the attack and noticed the numerous Grimm that had started entering the campus. Uncharacteristically, the creatures did not attack them and it seemed like all of them were looking at the girl that had come with the White Fang.

They suddenly noticed her hair turning red, crimson like the eyes of the Grimm and those able to see her eyes saw them changing from their brilliant blue to a glowing red. Ruby and her team looked in wonder and awe at the girl that everyone was looking at and Adam had his mouth agape. He knew that she could control Grimm and that her power was special, but he didn't think that she would be able to do _this_!

A soft laugh pierced the tense silence that had settled over them and Serena looked up to the woman, Cinder, who was the one omitting the sound.

"I don't know what you just did and how you got out of that one, but I won't let you do it again," she said, her eyes glowing in anticipation.

"You are welcome to try," Serena replied evenly, eyes glowing even more fiercely than before. "But I won't let you."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really. I have lost my family and the people I loved once, and I won't let you take him from me. Not if I can do something about it!"

Only later did she realized that she had practically told the whole assembly that she loved Adam, but at the time, she had been too preoccupied to even notice. If she had, then she might have seen the shocked face of Adam, the smile of adoration Ruby was sporting, and the reactions of the others which varied between shock, happiness and just complete confusion since they didn't know what she was talking about.

Cinder laughed loudly. "Oh, and just what are you going to do?" she asked, sarcasm dripping like venom.

Seren narrowed her eyes further at the woman, her eyes glowing brightly, the energy from the previous attack coming back to her hands.

"Well, for one, you can have your magic back!" she said, launching the entirety of the energy back at the woman. Cinder wasn't prepared for this and got hit in the stomach, stumbling back a few feet. Looking up with wide eyes, she said,

"What are you, you monster?"

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Now how was that?**


	46. Chapter 46: Victory

**My thoughts are with the husband and son, as well as the parents left behind by a very close family friend whom I've known ever since I was little. She died today at 2 PM, after three years of fighting cancer, because of mutiple organ failure.**

 **Christiane you will be missed by us all and I will forever hold you in my heart.**

* * *

 **Chapter 46: Victory**

"What are you, you monster?"

Everyone was looking at the two women and the stand off they were having. Neither had seen such power before and most teachers and students weren't sure what to think. Ozpin looked at the girl with interest. She had a unique gift, but if it were possible that she teach others that gift, then maybe they could coexist with the Grimm.

Adam stood up and positioned himself a little behind Serena, not sure if it was wise to approach her now when she was so tense. He looked at the girl in amazement; she was unbelievable. He had never thought that he would meet such a strong woman and the respect he felt for her was well-earned. A Grimm came up to him and sniffed him, before recognizing him and giving him a lick of the face in a way of greeting.

The Grimm started to gather behind Serena, assembling like an army and ready to protect their dearest friend if need be. Ajax and Loki were standing directly next to her, while Napoleon and the others were behind them. Serena glanced back and saw that one Grimm was standing beside Adam while another was looking after Ruby. She smiled and thanked them in her mind, the Grimm sending back a 'no problem'.

Turning her attention back onto the woman, she noticed that she was scared. If not of her, then of the countless Grimm that were now backing her up and looking every bit menacing. Her eyes were no longer glowing and she had created two glass swords for protection.

"You damn monster," she repeated again.

"I may be a monster," Serena replied coldly, all compassion for the woman lost who had done and created so much misery. "But I will protect those dear to me. Unlike you, I value the lives of others and do not throw them away. I will protect them with my own life if it has to be!"

The audience was stunned by her response. This person, whom the fewest had met, was ready to give her own life to protect theirs. Even the Faunus were shocked and touched by this, and some started to think that now would be a good time to get out of the situation they were in. But most were too scared of the Grimm and the girl herself and remained rooted to the spot.

Cinder, in her rage, attacked Serena again, but the girl absorbed the attack just like before and sent it back, the attack making impact in front of her. Serena didn't want to kill the woman, so she only demonstrated that it was best to give up while she still could. But judging by the woman's pose and the look in her eyes, she was nowhere near giving up. It saddened her that she had to fight the woman and all the others, but things had to end now. Cinder was just about to launch yet another attack when Serena's voice stopped her.

"Time to finish this nonsense. This fight has gone on long enough already and I do not want any more blood to be spilled." Turning to the Grimm, she told them, "Take care of them, but don't kill them. Just incapacitate them, okay?"

The Grimm nodded and Napoleon gave a howl before they all scattered. Teachers and students as well as the Faunus took a defensive stance, but soon the people of Beacon relaxed when they saw the creatures only attacking the Faunus. Neither Grimm hurt them and the Faunus that were incapacitated were either knocked out if they fought back, some were too scared to even move, and others even fainted. Even Emerald and Mercury gave up, while Cinder was knocked out after attacking two of the Grimm. The weapons were taken away from them and thrown onto a pile, and Napoleon and Ajax made sure that no one tried anything to hurt their human friend.

Spike and Cinder didn't move an inch, not quite comprehending how they could have lost so quickly, and to a girl! Cinder was seeping with anger while Spike was even angrier, glaring at the human with rage and hate. He was angry at Adam and Raven as well; it was their fault that this had happened!

In blind rage, he barreled forward, throwing Raven aside and dodging the Grimm that tried to stop him. He was heading straight for Serena, hammer poised to hit her full force and kill her, or at least hurt her so bad that she won't be able to live normally in the future. People saw him, some trying to stop him, but they were easily thrown aside just like Raven had been.

Serena noticed the man lunging for her and heard Ruby call out to her, but he was already so close that it was impossible for her to avoid him now. She put her arms up out of reflex, trying to somehow protect her body, although she knew it was futile. He would crush her arms and head with his hammer. But just when he was about to hit her, he suddenly stopped and coughed up blood. Serena's eyes widened as a few drops landed on her cheeks and throat and looked down to see a blade protruding from the man's chest, right through the middle. Spike fell to the side, hammer clanging to the ground and revealed Adam who still stood with his blade up.

"Adam…you…" the leader of the White Fang wheezed out, glaring at the man with hate filled eyes. Adam swung his blade, getting all the blood off and sheathed it, before looking down at his former boss with cold eyes.

"I won't allow you to hurt her anymore Spike. It's over."

Spike wanted to say something but before he could, his eyes dimmed and his head hit the concrete ground, dead. The Faunus, those still conscious, looked at their leader with shock before looking up at the man that had killed him. Adam glared at them and they instantly sunk to their knees, admitting their defeat.

Silence reigned for a few minutes, everyone trying to understand what had just happened before, one after another, everyone started clapping and cheering. Ruby was the first to run over to her friend and give her a hug. Her teammates soon followed and soon the entire school was congratulating the young girl and some were even thanking Adam since he had also played an important part in the whole ordeal. Serena's hair and eyes returned to their natural color and the Grimm retreated back into the forest.

"I'm so happy that you're okay!" Ruby exclaimed, hugging the girl again. Serena laughed in joy and returned the hug, glad that it was finally over. "Oh, this is my team! This is my sister Yang," Ruby introduced, pointing to a busty blonde that stood beside her.

The girl grinned at her and said, "Nice to meet you. My sis has told me a lot about you."

"It's nice to meet you too," Serena replied.

"I am Weiss Schnee," a white-haired girl introduced herself next, not giving Ruby the chance to do it for her and both girls shook hands while Weiss did an additional curtsy. Next was a girl with black hair and golden eyes wearing a bow.

"I'm Blake," she introduced herself with a soft voice. Serena smiled at her before the girl's eyes widened when suddenly Adam appeared behind Serena and looked at his former partner. "Hi," she quietly greeted her former mentor, not quite sure what to do.

"Hey," Adam replied, happy to see his former disciple and actually be on her side. He had missed her; the both of them had been good friends. Serena noticed that the two had a lot to talk about; Adam had told her about his former partner and she quietly excused herself to give them some privacy.

"Listen Blake, I-" Adam started but was cut off when the cat Faunus suddenly hugged him. He was momentarily surprised before returning the hug, happy that she forgave him.

"I'm so glad you're back. I thought I'd completely lost you back then," she said quietly.

"You did. But I met someone who opened my eyes. But thank you for trying and always being there, even when I almost became a monster," he answered, head resting on hers.

Blake retreated and gave him a small smile, him giving her a grin in return. Both looked over to Serena who was currently involved in a conversation with Professor Ozpin. "She's a good girl. You should treasure her," Blake suddenly said, still looking at the blue-eyed girl.

Adam looked at his partner with surprise before smiling and replying, "Yeah, she is."

Ruby and her two friends walked up to the two and Blake introduced her former mentor to them. They all welcomed him and talked a lot about what had been going on and what would happen from now on. Adam looked over at Serena and noticed that she was standing alone, Ozpin having left after finishing their conversation. He walked over to her and hugged her from behind, making the girl jump in surprise. Serena turned around and then smiled at Adam who looked at her with those red eyes that she so loved.

"Is everything okay?" he inquired worriedly. "What did that man want?" he asked, nodding over to the coffee sipping Ozpin.

"He proposed me a deal. For the both of us."

"What kind of deal?" Adam asked, raising his eyebrow skeptically.

"He says that we can both become teachers. At Beacon," she said, not quite believing it herself.

"Teachers?"

"Yeah. You know, me teaching how to treat Grimm and you teaching combat. He also said that he would handle the military for us. Speaking of which," she added, looking to the sky where numerous military aircrafts were hovering and closing in. Soon, soldiers were arresting the Faunus and taking them away and Ozpin talked with General Ironwood about what had happened.

"You know that we can't just ignore this girl, Ozpin. She has a power far too great and it is necessary that we arrest the man that is with her, as well as the woman. They were members of the White Fang and have committed crimes and you know just as well as I do that I can't simply ignore that," Ironwood argued, refusing to give in to his friend's proposition.

"I am well aware of the law, James, but I can't allow you to do that. The three of them are under my protection and guidance now and two will be becoming teachers at my school," Ozpin said, not giving in.

"But what if-"

"I will make sure that none of them will do anything again. And the girl does not pose a threat to us or the other kingdoms. Just leave them to me and I'll handle the council and everything else."

"If you think so, then have it your way. But don't say that I didn't warn you," the general sighed before going back to his ship to oversee the transport of their prisoners.

Ozpin walked over to the two people in question. "Have you made your choice yet?" he asked, looking at both of them. Serena nodded her head and told him that they would accept his proposition. "Very well. I will see you two the day after tomorrow then, at 8 A.M.," he said, taking another sip of coffee before leaving the two.

"Wow," Serena breathed out. "I didn't think that everything would end so well."

"Yeah, but there's one thing missing," Adam said.

Before Serena understood what he meant or could ask him what that would be, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in shock, but she soon closed them and relaxed into the kiss, her arms going around his neck and hugging him closer to her. She felt tears starting to leave her eyes and when the Faunus withdrew, he was worried that he had something wrong. But she just told him that, no everything was fine, she just was so happy. He smiled and kissed her again, both of them forgetting everything around them and simply enjoying the moment.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **So, even though someone very close to me died today, I still wanted to get this out to you guys.**

 **Promise me one thing and look after your health, so that you won't be leaving behind someone important.**


	47. Chapter 47: First Day

**Chapter 47: First Day**

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

Serena pushed the button, silencing the offending noise which had risen her from her sleep. It was early, 6 A.M. to be precise and today would be her and Adam's first day as teachers. Getting up, she stretched once then walked over into the small bathroom that was adjacent to the room she had slept in.

After accepting Ozpin's offer to become teachers at Beacon, the principal had offered both her and the Faunus to stay at their school for the time being. Neither of them had a flat or place to go, so they happily accepted it. The room she had been given was in the West wing of the giant building, not far from Ruby's room. Adam had been given a room one floor above her. It was nothing big, but Serena had been so tired after the fight that she had simply been glad that there was a bed into which she fell not ten minutes later. She had never slept so deeply before.

Brushing her teeth, she took off her clothes and jumped into the shower, the hot water flowing over her body and relaxing her still tense muscles. Grabbing some shampoo, she washed her hair, turned off the water and stepped out again. Wrapping a towel around herself, she rubbed her hair dry and, after combing through it once, went out into the bed room. Opening the closet, she took out a pair of black jeans and a white long-sleeved shirt which had been provided by Miss Goodwitch since the girl didn't have any other clothing except for that of the White Fang. She reveled in the feel of the clean clothes and quickly put on her combat boots. She checked herself in the mirror once more, before breathing in deeply and walking out the door.

Today would be her first day as teacher here and she was so nervous about it all. She had never taught someone before, excluding the times she had shown Ruby and Adam how to deal with Grimm, but other than that, she had no idea what to do. Though her primary worry were the teachers and students. They all knew about her and she was worried what they would think about her. Thinking about Adam, she guessed that it was an even direr situation for him. He was a Faunus, had once been part of the White Fang and no one really trusted him. She was sure that there would be some trouble.

Arriving at Ozpin's office, she noticed that Adam was already there, standing in front of the principal and waiting for her to arrive. He looked over his shoulder at her when she exited the elevator and she gave him a small smile in greeting, him returning it. She went to stand beside him and they both looked at Ozpin, waiting for him to say something. The man watched them for a few moments before speaking up.

"I trust you had a good rest?" he asked, swinging his cup of coffee which he always seemed to have with him.

"Very good, thank you for asking," Serena replied, giving him a light yet nervous smile. The man returned it and took a sip of coffee, setting the cup back down.

"Now then, I guess that the both of you are eager to get started." They both nodded. "Good. I have already informed the students and teachers about the two of you. But I must warn you, especially you Mr Taurus; there could be some of them who will cause you trouble." They both nodded, ready to face anything that was thrown at them.

"I already guessed that," Adam spoke up for the first time. "But we will show them that we are not to be messed with."

"We'll be able to handle ourselves," Serena added, eyes full of confidence. No matter what, they would get through this.

"Good. Let's go to your classes then and introduce you."

Serena and Adam followed the grey-haired man silently, not speaking a word all the time, occupied with the thought of meeting their new students. It was a long way, but finally they ended up in front of a large door. Walking in, they passed several columns and lockers before entering what looked like an arena. Seated around it, elevated so that they could see everything, were the students of Bacon. Glynda Goodwitch was standing in the middle, waiting for the three to make their way over to her before turning around and telling the kids to quiet down.

"As I have already told you, you will be having two new teachers from today on. Miss Serena Caldron," Ozpin said, lifting his right arm so that it was gesturing at the girl in question, "will be teaching you all about Grimm."

"But we already have Professor Port to do that," a student cut the man off before he could finish his sentence.

"I know that. But Miss Caldron will not only be teaching you about Grimm, but also how to tame them."

A murmur passed through the rows. Serena stepped forward and everyone shut up when she said, "I will be showing you on how best to deal with them so that they won't harm you. For those of you who find this hard to believe, you are welcome to visit my class and see for yourselves. I'm looking forward to being your teacher," she concluded with a smile, stepping back to let Ozpin continue.

"And Mister Adam Taurus will be teaching you hand-to-hand combat. Since Miss Goodwitch is more concentrated on the fighting with weapons, he will be teaching you all there is to know about combat without one. And even if he is a Faunus, I expect you all to treat him with respect. The same goes for Miss Caldron."

The students stayed silent and Ozpin left the room, Serena following him so that he could show her to her new classroom. Adam stepped forward, scrutinizing the students. Some were looking at him with light fear. He had spotted those at the fight yesterday and guessed that they knew that he had been a White Fang member and had also seen him fight. Others were either looking at him with disgust, some with curiosity and others just looked at him in a neutral way.

"Like Professor Ozpin said, I will be teaching you all hand-to-hand combat. You might think that my methods and training are sometimes a bit harsh, but I advise you to do your best and concentrate."

A scoff in the rows made him pause and he looked up and to the left to see a boy with brown hair and blue eyes look at him in a discriminating way. Cocking an eyebrow, he asked the boy if he had something to say. The boy's eyes widened in slight shock at being caught before he puffed out his chest and boldly declared that he did not want to be taught by a Faunus. Narrowing his eyes, Adam told the boy, who was wearing his school uniform, to get on his combat clothes and get down into the arena. The boy seemed confused but did so while grumbling.

Five minutes later, both were standing opposite the other, Adam studying the boy. Miss Goodwitch came up and told him not to do anything stupid, but he simply waved her off with a hand, telling her that he knew what he was doing.

"What's your name boy?" he asked.

"Cardin Winchester, leader of team CRDL," the boy declared proudly, a smirk finding its way onto his face.

"Well then Cardin Winchester, if you think that you don't need to be trained by me, let us find out who is the stronger one. We will be having a small fight, about one minute. You're allowed to use your weapon if you please, though I won't."

"Suits me," Cardin replied after a moment, not quite sure if that was such a good idea.

"You may attack any time," Adam said, pose relaxed and waiting for the boy to make the first move.

Cardin didn't need to be told twice. He ran forward, lifting Mace over his head with both arms before swinging the weapon down, aiming for Adam's head. It almost looked like he would hit but just before the metal hit the Faunus, he suddenly disappeared and the weapon crashed into the ground. Blinking in surprise and not understanding what had happened, Cardin was kicked in the back of his knees, making him fall to the ground. His weapon was kicked out of his hand and he suddenly found himself lying face flat on the ground, cheek pressed against it.

Looking up, he spotted the red-haired Faunus standing over him, foot placed on his back and holding him down. He looked to the side, trying to find his weapon but noticed with dismay that it was lying several feet out of his reach. The male tried pushing himself up, but Adam simply applied more force, keeping him in place.

"I guess that settles that," Adam spoke, lifting his foot off the boy's back and stepping back. Cardin picked himself off the ground, cursing under his breath and went back inside, changing into his uniform before settling back by his team. The others snickered when they saw him and his face flushed pink, embarrassed that so many people had witnessed him being beaten so easily.

Adam looked over his class, seeing that anyone that had doubted him before now no longer did and started his first lesson, enthusiastic for once to teach someone. He hadn't been like this since the time he had trained Blake and he started to see just how much potential the students had.

He could work with this.

* * *

Serena looked around her at the teenagers that were staring back, waiting for her to start their first lesson with her. It was the same class that had been in the arena when Ozpin had introduced them to the pupils and she could see the boy who had spoken up when Ozpin had told them that she would be teaching them about Grimm. It was a young boy, about seventeen years old, with blonde hair and blue eyes. His expression told her that he was someone who was sometimes insecure and did not know how to act. Next to him sat a girl with red hair tied up in a ponytail and green eyes. She recognized the girl; she had seen her on a corn flakes box once when she had shopped in town.

"So…"

She started off a bit shakily, not really knowing what to say. She had never taught someone. Sure, she'd taught Ruby and Adam the basics, but this was an entire class that would be under her wing. She would be responsible for them and have to make sure that none of them got hurt during training. She took a deep breath, calming her nerves and decided to just do it her own way.

"As Professor Ozpin said, I'll be teaching you all about Grimm and how to treat them so that they won't attack you. Now, to start off, what do you already know about them?"

"They're made of dust," one boy said.

"They disappear when they are killed, returning to dust," another added.

"Their sole purpose is to kill and exterminate mankind," a girl said.

"That is what everyone believes, don't they?" Serena said, a smile finding its way onto her face. She had been waiting for this to be said.

"What? It's the truth," another boy with brown hair and blue eyes interjected.

"Really? Then tell me…" Serena trailed off, not knowing how to address the boy since she hadn't asked them for their names yet.

"Cardin," the boy replied, and she noticed a somewhat haughty tone in his voice. She assumed that he was one of the people that knew everything better and would soon be proven wrong.

"Cardin. Tell me, what has brought mankind to develop so quickly?"

"The Grimm," he stated, the haughty tone still present and a smirk forming on his lips.

"Correct. And what made humans develop weapons such as the ones you use and create communities?"

"The Grimm," he answered, not getting what she was on to.

"Exactly. It is only through the influence of Grimm that humans have, up until now, been forced to create incredible weapons and form such strong alliances. If they did not exist, none of this would probably exist. Humans would perhaps have more advanced weapons, but nothing like the ones you have now. They would not have created cities and would most likely live in their own small communities, maybe even rage war against each other to gain more territory. So, you see," she continued, walking up so that she was standing closer to the students, a few feet from the first row, "it is only through their help that we have what we have nowadays."

Students looked at each other confused, mumbling to their neighbors. They had been taught a lot about Grimm, but never before had a teacher told them that they were the ones responsible for their development and rise to power. Serena could see that some were still skeptical, but most seemed to honestly think about what she had just said. Quieting them down, she continued her lesson.

"Now, the most important part for you and the coming generations, is to be able to communicate and get along with those, as you would call them, monsters. I will show you how to do it, though you will all have to find your own way. Each of you has a different personality and therefor a different approach to things. I will be here to help you find that certain approach. To do this, I would like Ruby to come down and assist me quickly," she said, looking at the girl that was sitting beside her sister Yang.

Ruby nodded and went down. Serena quickly told her what she had in mind and both girls nodded to each other before Serena went into another room while Ruby placed herself at the far side of the room. The students looked on in anticipation as to what would happen. Their eyes went wide when they suddenly saw their teacher leading an Ursa into the room. The animal was smaller than the ones that were fully grown out, but the kids tensed nonetheless. A Grimm was, after all, still a Grimm.

"Don't show your fear," they heard their teacher say as she continued to lead the animal inside, keeping eye contact with it until it was completely in the room and the door closed behind it, cutting off any escape. Serena stood straight from her slightly bent pose and looked at her students. "Now, I will leave Ruby to taming this Ursa without interfering unless needed."

"Are you crazy?!" Yang cried out, obviously worried about her baby sister. But a look and nod from Ruby and she settled back down, though ready to interfere at any second. Serena looked at the silver-eyed girl before stepping back and leaving the front to her and the Grimm.

The animal was about to pounce on the girl until she did as Serena had shown her, reaching out her hand and looking the animal calmly in the eye. The beast calmed down and only moments later was she cradling it, petting its head while it sat down on its hind legs and gently rested its head in her one hand that wasn't on its head. The students' jaws had dropped long ago and they could only stare in awe at what the girl had done. Some began clapping and soon everyone was and some even cheered.

"Very good Ruby. I see you've found your own way," Serena said, walking up to the girl, giving her a pleased smile.

"I've had a good teacher," the girl replied before going back up to her seat, immediately being hugged by her sister who was glad that she was unharmed.

"As you see, they are not as frightful as they seem. We'll be starting tomorrow to find out which way suits best to each of you and then take it slowly from there."

The bell rang and students filled out, most saying goodbye except for the boy, Cardin, who only gave her a sour look and left with a snort. Her first day had gone quite successful, and Serena couldn't wait to continue teaching the next class that would be coming after lunch.

Maybe she wasn't such a bad teacher after all.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **First of all, thanks to all the people who tried to cheer me up. It really means a lot to me. I'm a little better now, and writing on my new story really helps me coping with the death of my good friend.**

 **Now the… Yes, both are teachers and Adam already kicked Cardin's butt while Serena embarrassed him even more. For those of you who are fans of Cardin, sorry, but I just had to do this. He's always so stuck up that I feel it's time he learns a lesson.**

 **I hope that you liked this chapter, if you did, tell me in a review. Looking forward to the next chapter and bye!**


	48. Chapter 48: Change

**Chapter 48: Change**

Two months had passed since the final battle and a lot had changed during that time.

The most notable change of all was that the tension between humans and Faunus had considerably lessened. Ever since the White Fang had been disbanded and the primary members arrested, along with Spike, Cinder and her group, humans had started to view Faunus from another angle. Some of the former members had actually given up on their former beliefs and had taken up honest shops, some even applying to become teachers at Beacon. The White Fang was now nothing more than a bad memory and people soon started to realize that, even if people were of Faunus lineage, it didn't automatically mean that they were bad.

With so many members changing their ways of thinking and mingling more with humans, people soon had to see that they weren't as bad as they'd thought. The councils even started debating about giving Faunus more rights, the goal that the White Fang had always aimed for. The kingdoms acknowledged that their treatment of the Faunus had been wrong and now tried to make up for it by helping old White Fang members find a job. The balance that had been lost between the two races had been restored almost completely, and people knew that things were changing.

There had been some inquiring on the military's side with Ironwood still being skeptic about all those sudden changes of mind, but nothing big had been done. Both Adam and Serena had been questioned, as well as the other members, about their involvement in the attack. The military had been quite interested to know more about the young woman's power, but thanks to Professor Ozpin, nothing else had been said about it. They just told her that they would keep a close eye on both her and the red-headed Faunus since they were a potential danger to the kingdom, especially the former White Fang member. The others were under close surveillance as well, but that would stop after a year if neither of them did anything.

Raven had now become a full-fledged history teacher along with professor Oobleck. The both of them got along well and Yang had a hunch that her sister had a thing for the green-haired speedster. Other Faunus had become P.E. teachers or taught other branches and some had become supervisors for the dorms.

Both sisters had reconciled and talked a lot about the past, namely their mother. It turned out that she, a woman named Spring, had been part of one of the wandering tribes. She had fallen in love with a man from Vale and settled down together with him. The man's name was Orion and he was the father of Raven. He soon left Spring however, and the woman took her child and joined the wandering tribe once again. Five years later, she fell in love with Tai Yang, Yang's father and they soon had her. Unfortunately, Spring died while giving birth to Yang, and so Tai Yang took them both in and cared for them, until his duties as a Huntsman asked of him to leave them. Raven took care of the three of them, but when the time came and she was forced to join the White Fang, she left her sister and Ruby behind, confident that they would make it without her help. Luckily, Ruby's uncle Qrow soon took care of the kids.

Serena and Adam were now also respected teachers at Beacon and both loved their jobs. The students showed great potential in both classes and some of them could already tame a Grimm with almost no difficulty while others were now worthy opponents for Adam. Cardin Winchester had changed classes after he had humiliated himself several more times, though neither Serena nor Adam minded. The boy had been the only one to always object and it got on both their nerves, though Adam seemed more annoyed by it than his girlfriend.

The both of them had found a nice apartment a month after the fight and now lived in a three bed apartment with bathroom. It was nothing big, but they lived near the center of Vale, a short distance away from the Academy and had a living room, a bed room, kitchen and a small bathroom which even integrated a tub. Serena had been pretty uncomfortable at first with the thought of living together with a man with whom she had only been officially together for a month. But a little prodding from Ruby and her sister Yang had helped make the girl decide and no later were both of them moving in.

It was on this evening however, that Serena received the greatest shock so far.

* * *

It was around six in the evening and she was just about to make dinner when Adam entered the kitchen. He had stayed behind at the school to train with some students and it was obvious that he was more than a little tired from his training session. His hair was a little more messy than normally and he tiredly draped his jacket over the stool that stood by the table on the right side of the room, plopping onto it with a grunt.

"Welcome home," Serena greeted, brooding over a cooking book that she had bought and trying to figure out just what she should make for dinner. He gave her a grunt in reply, but the girl was long since used to his mannerism and knew that he was returning the greeting.

"What's for dinner?" he asked tiredly, resting his head on his right hand, arm propped on the table. He watched the woman carefully as she turned page for page and noticed the frown that seemed to increase with every turned page. "What's wrong?"

"I can't figure out what to cook," she sighed, closing the book with a bang and putting it back in the shelf overhead. Turning to him, she narrowed her eyes and put her finger to her chin, thinking hard. _Come on, there has to be something that I can cook!_ she thought desperately. Suddenly, an idea hit her and she grinned.

"What?" Adam asked, suspicious of the look she was wearing. The last time she had had it, she had cooked something that was so spicy that he couldn't eat it without taking a gulp of water after every fork. And she had eaten it like it was nothing; even teased him about being too weak to handle the food, which he was not mind you.

"What do you think of Chinese?"

"Chinese?" he asked, not knowing what she meant.

"Yeah, you know, some noodles, chicken,vegetables, a good sauce…" She trailed off at his look and could see the obvious confusion in his crimson eyes. _Don't tell me!_ "You do know what Chinese food is, right?"

"Nope, never heard of it," Adam answered with a shake of the head.

Serena's eyes opened wide and her jaw almost dropped to the floor. How could he not know Chinese food?! How could people survive here without Chinese food?!

 _I'll have to change that ASAP!_

"Wait here," she said before rushing out of the kitchen, putting on her new pair of black sneakers and leather jacket and exiting the flat. She quickly descended the two flights of stairs and pushed the door open, entering the evening life of Vale. Most people were slowly getting back from work and the shops were full of people who wanted to buy something before heading home.

Serena took to the right and entered the small convenience store that held everything she needed. Grabbing a basket, she went through the rows, grabbing chicken, some noodles that looked Chinese to her and some carrots, broccoli and some chives. Heading to the cashier, she payed for everything and headed back home where Adam was still waiting for her. She had barely been gone for fifteen minutes and immediately started preparing the food.

"Can I help?" Adam asked from behind, standing right behind her and watching her chop the chicken.

"Sure. Could you cut the vegetables into small slices?" she responded, handing him the kitchen knife and resuming her task while he started on his. In no time everything was cut and Serena quickly cooked the noodles while frying the chicken in a wok, before adding the vegetables and noodles. In the mean time, Adam set the table, though Serena replaced the knife and fork with Chinese chopsticks, earning herself a quizzical look from him. He had never seen those things and had no idea on how to use them. She gave both of them equal portions before sitting down.

"I hope you like it. I always loved it when my mom made this," she told him before digging in. Adam took the chopsticks and fumbled with them, trying to figure out just how in the world he was supposed to eat with those. Looking at Serena, he saw her handle them like it was nothing. Serena glanced up from her bowl to see his confused look. "What's wrong?"

"How do you use these?"

"Oh, right, you've never eaten food like this. It's quite ease, just put them in-between your middle and index finger and push down with you thumb. You'll get used to it once you have the hang out," she explained, showing him how she did it. He mimicked her and with a little difficulty, was finally able to eat his food.

"This is really good," he commented.

"Really? That's great; I was a bit afraid it would taste weird since I've never cooked this before. You can put on some soy sauce or chili paste if you want. Just don't use too much chili, it's really spicy."

She grabbed the soy sauce and poured some of it over her own noodles before taking a generous helping of the chili. She loved spicy food and knew how much she could take. Adam thought so too and took a large helping of chili as well, problem was that he had no idea just how spicy it was. So it came as no surprise when he suddenly jumped up and ran to the sink to pour himself a glass of water. Serena almost choked on her noodles at the scene before her and couldn't stop her laughing once her mouth was void of any food.

"Oh shut up," Adam grumbled, glaring at her playfully. This only made her laugh harder and Serena almost fell from her chair, clutching her stomach and trying to somehow calm down.

"I… I'm sorry," she started, laughing even more. "You're… You're just… so adorable," she finished, her laughter slowly but surely dying down and leaving her with a big smile on her face.

"Woman, I have killed countless people and am a most dangerous criminal. I am _not_ adorable," Adam replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Oh really?" Serena teased, standing up and walking to right in front of him. "You wouldn't harm a poor, defenseless girl, now would you?" she asked, giving him her puppy dog eyes.

Adam grinned before grabbing her by the waist and spinning them both around so that she was now leaning against the counter with her back. Serena blushed at the sudden boldness and position she found herself in, but the gentle eyes of the man opposite from her soon made her relax.

"Perhaps, but I don't think you qualify as 'defenseless'," he replied lowly before capturing her lips with his own. Serena's arms instinctively went around his neck and stayed there, her fingers lightly caressing the soft strands of hair. This only urged Adam on and he was soon pushing her against the counter with more force and before Serena knew what was going on she was sitting on it, which put them on eye level, with Adam standing in-between her legs, hands resting on her sides. She didn't react, but when his hands started to travel up her shirt and his mouth wandered lower and lower, she suddenly realized just what was going on.

"W-Wait," she whispered, panting lightly from the lack of oxygen and emotions that were swirling around inside her. She wanted this, she really did, but she wasn't ready yet. Adam paused and looked up at her, seeing the swirl of emotions that was clearly visible in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry, it's just that… I'm not ready yet," she mumbled the last part, uncertain what he would think of her now.

But the male only gave a small smile before pecking her on the lips and lifting her off the counter, carefully setting her back on her feet again. "It's okay. We've got time," he replied huskily, watching the relief that flooded her face at his words. He knew that she would still need some time and he was a patient man, at least he had become more patient lately, so he could wait.

"Thanks," Serena replied, drawing him in for another kiss before cleaning up the table. "How about we watch a movie?" she asked, scanning through the TV-magazine to see what they could be watching.

"Sure," he replied, plopping down on their couch and waiting for the raven head to settle down beside him. Slinging an arm around her shoulders, he turned on the TV and later on that night, Serena was contently curled up in his side, head resting on his shoulder while both watched some action movie.

Yes, a lot of things had changed, but her feelings for the male beside her hadn't. And Serena was sure that life had a lot to offer for both of them.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Yay, more romance! And a lot of things have changed in Vale and will continue to do so. But, for those of you who think that this is the end, let me tell you that it isn't. There are still about five chapters to come, so don't quit just yet.**


	49. Chapter 49: Happy Birthday

**Grab a fan and hold your popcorn tight cause this chpater is hot! You have been warned.**

* * *

 **Chapter 49: Happy Birthday**

"Good Jaune, keep eye contact with him so that there's a connection between you two," Serena advised her young pupil, carefully watching the blonde and the Boarbatusk that he was currently facing.

The boy was progressing well and had become more confident over time about his abilities. Everyone had slowly but surely gotten the hang of how they had to approach the Grimm so that no harm would be done to them. With the additional advise from their teacher, most of them were already at the stage where they could test their abilities on Beowolves. Jaune was currently absolving his last test before he, too, could switch to the more dangerous and unpredictable Grimm.

Ruby and her team were currently in the room next door, chatting while cuddling with their Grimm, four large Beowolves that had some bone on their back, indicating that they were still young. The females had had quite some trouble with the Grimm since they were never prepared for when the animals would attack, but after Serena had shown them the best way on how to handle those ones, they had formed a strong bond with the animals. Now, they always trained a little together before cuddling with their new friends.

"Serena's doing pretty well as a teacher, right?" Ruby asked her friends, scratching Dorkan's ear, the Grimm giving a low grumble of content.

"Yeah, she's been a great one," Yang replied.

"Agreed. It's good that Professor Ozpin let her and the Faunus-" Weiss stopped when Blake threw her a glare, correcting herself before continuing, "I mean, Professor Taurus, join. They're both great teachers and we have learned so much from them. I still can't believe that she was living so close to us all this time, yet we never knew that she was there."

"It's only natural that she would be cautious," Blake interjected. "I would be, too, if I had such a power. I'm guessing that she was afraid that the military could come up with ideas on how to use her power for their own sake."

"Yeah, but I'm glad that Ozpin handled General Ironwood and the council of Atlas. I guess he, too, knew what they could have in store," Yang replied, frowning slightly at the thought of their teacher being forced to conduct some kind of experiments. She was much too nice a person to be put through something like that again, after what had happened with the White Fang.

"Yeah, but anyway, speaking of Serena, it's her birthday today," Ruby exclaimed with a happy smile.

"Really? And you didn't tell us? I don't even have a present for her!" Yang threw her hands in the air, scowling at her younger sister. "Now what are we going to do? She'll be disappointed if no one congratulates her. We don't even have flowers!"

"I agree with Yang, now we can't properly congratulate her," Blake spoke up.

"But, doesn't it look to you like she has totally forgotten it?"

Everyone looked at Weiss quizzically, before getting up and walking over to the door that connected the two rooms together. The young raven head was still training with Jaune and it really did look as if she had no idea just what day today was.

"You're right," Ruby whispered.

"Of course I am," Weiss replied, scoffing before the four settled back next to their respective Grimm.

"So, what do we do?" Blake asked.

"Guess we just keep quiet for now. I bet that Adam has prepared something for her. I mean, at least he has to know," Yang said, scratching her Grimm's, Oreo, tummy. The Beowulf's hind leg jerked as a natural reaction and he let his tongue hang out of his mouth, indicating for Yang to keep going, which she did.

"We better check," Ruby suggested and everyone agreed.

* * *

"Her birthday?"

Adam put down his sword with which he was currently training on a dummy and took a towel, getting rid of the sweat that had gathered in his neck and was running down his temples.

"Yeah. You did know about that, right?" Ruby squeaked the last part, not believing that she had been the only one to know about Serena's birthday.

"I had no idea. She never told me anything of the sort and she wasn't acting any different this morning than usually. How come nobody told me this?"

Ruby shrunk, ashamed that she had taken it for granted that everyone knew when, in fact, no one did. Not even the girl in question herself! Now they were faced with a major problem.

"So, what do we do? It's her birthday so we have to do something. And I don't mean flowers," Yang said, the gears in her head turning and working on the perfect gift for their teacher. The man opposite her did the same, as did the others and silence reigned until she couldn't take it anymore and gripped her hair in irritation. "I can't believe that no one knows what to do! Come on guys, there has to be something that comes to mind; anything!"

But the following silence indicated that, no, none of them knew or even had the hint of an idea on what to buy.

"Maybe we're tackling this problem in the wrong manner," Blake said quietly, though she quickly earned herself the attention of the others. "Maybe it's not an object that would be the ideal gift. Adam, you've been living together with her for a half year now; what do you think? There must be something that she would like to do."

Adam pondered the question of his old partner and disciple. Something she liked to do… She liked to do a lot of things, but neither of them really struck him as being birthday gift material. _Come on, there has got to be something!_

That was when it hit him.

"I think I got it," he said. The four girls looked at him, eager to hear what he had come up with. He was their last hope after all, being the only other person that really knew Serena. "She sometimes told me about how she and her sister would go out to a club to dance and how she loved to go eat dinner with her family."

"That's it! Take her out on a date! And I don't mean one where you go to a pizzeria, but something really nice. So that she can relax and enjoy herself," Yang added, wiggling her finger at the red head, emphasizing that she was serious.

"Indeed. I am certain that she would enjoy such a thing," Weiss subjoined.

"Yeah, she's always working so hard, she deserves to relax and have fun." Blake nodded in agreement to Ruby's statement. The girls, together with Adam, made plans on where to take her and were soon submerged in their own ideas and plans.

* * *

"Alright, good work today from all of you. Don't forget to meditate in the evening and relax. Remember that the Grimm only trust you as much as you trust them," Serena said, looking at the students that were sitting in their seats again, awaiting the sound of the bell. When it finally rung, she wished everyone a good day and packed her things.

A knock on the door made her look up, her now shoulder-length black hair slightly falling into her face. Adam was leaning on the door frame, arms crossed and a slight smirk on his lips, although she had no idea what the reason for it was. He casually strode over and watched her as she put her pencil and papers into her pouch before she slung the single strap of it onto her shoulder.

"Hey," she greeted him, giving him a light peck on the lips. She had gotten used to showing their relationship openly and the students were all aware that the two teachers were more than just colleagues from work. "You didn't have to wait for me."

"I had nothing else to do, plus we live in the same flat, so I guess there's no harm in waiting for you. At least not when I get to see your face," he replied, the smirk widening at the blush that was taking residence of the girl's face. Serena only shook her head with a quiet laugh before both of them started their treck home, exiting the school building and crossing the campus.

"Do you have anything nice to wear?" Adam suddenly asked out of the blue.

"Nice?" Serena questioned, looking down at her current clothes which were a pair of black skinny jeans with matching top, a red hoodie that was unzipped and brown ankle boots. "What's wrong with my clothes?" she asked, taking the question in the wrong way.

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that!" Adam immediately defended himself, fearing that he had upset her. "I meant something like a dress and shoes and all that stuff."

"Why would I need those?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. Since when did he care if she had dress and high heels or pumps?

"I thought so. I asked Blake to borrow me one. The shoes too."

"Okay, what are you up to?" Serena questioned, halting in their treck home while he continued a few paces before stopping and looking over his shoulder at her with a devious smile.

"It's a surprise," he said before continuing on, her trailing after him not long after.

* * *

The dress that Serena was presented with was a simple black one that would reach to mid-thigh. It was sleeveless with two straps crossing underneath her neck that would keep it on her form, permitting little view of her chests. The dress was close-fitting around the chest and down to the waist before fanning out, which would emphasize her figure. The shoes were also classic: black pumps with a high enough heel that Serena hoped she wouldn't trip in.

All in all, it was a lovely outfit and she was glad that Blake and her had pretty much the same size, both in height and in the chest area. She was sure that, had she been given one of Yang's dresses, it would not look good on her. The blonde simply had more to show in the chest department. Though she did wonder why she needed a dress all of the sudden. Even back on Earth, when she and her sister would go out sometimes to party, she usually just wore some denim jeans, high shoes, though not as high as Blake's, and some top.

She wasn't really the type to wear dresses all the time. They made her feel a bit uncomfortable with how short some of them were and the fact that one could see her underwear if she was not careful. Pants were just so much easier to move in. But she guessed that she could make an exception just this once.

Adam had sounded pretty promising when he'd told her that he had a surprise for her and she guessed that she could dress up for once, since she never did on other occasions. Why should she? It was not like she could go out fighting in a dress and high heels and she also couldn't teach in those kind of clothes. She just wasn't like Glynda.

How the woman could fight so well in those shoes and tight skirt was still a mystery to the girl.

Putting her hair up in the towel that she had used to dry them, she walked over to the dresser that was on the right of their shared bedroom and pulled out her black bra and panties, quickly putting them on before hanging the other towel, the one that she used to cover her body, on the heater in the bathroom. Adam had allowed her to use the bedroom and bathroom after he had taken a shower, knowing that girls tended to use the mirror more than he would. Even if they had been living together for a half year already, they had never gone further than cuddling a little and kissing. They hadn't done _it_ yet. They'd come close once, but that was all. So she was glad that he had forfeited the room to her.

Pulling down the towel, she walked over to the mirror and combed through the mass of black hair that had already started drying. Brushing through it a few times, she was content when it had dried enough and was now slightly more curled than normally, but she liked it like this. She quickly brushed her teeth, cleaning her face and walked back into the bedroom. Putting on the dress, she noticed that, even though it had a closed-off collar and was tight-fitting, she did not feel suffocated or trapped. Instead, it was a comfortable feel that made her aware that no one could see anything they weren't supposed to.

Back in the bathroom, she applied some black eye shadow and mascara with a bit of eyeliner, making her blue eyes come out more. Grabbing the lipstick, she smeared some of the red cosmetic onto her lips, not too much but just the right measure. Checking herself in the mirror again, she put her hair up with a hair clip and nodded before heading out, putting on the shoes in the process.

Walking down the hallway that lead to the living room which Adam had taken up, she saw that he was already done, dressed in a pair of black pants, a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to just under his elbows and his typical black shoes. Even if it did not differ much from his usual attire, except for the black shirt, she found that he looked more handsome than ever. It could be because of the fact that he was attractive by nature, but he just looked so much more attractive to her right now.

Adam blinked once when he saw Serena emerge from their shared bedroom. She looked astonishingly beautiful. Her hair was perfectly styled, although he could tell that she had done nothing special with it, and her eyes were an even more beautiful blue now that they were rimmed with black. The black dress from Blake hugged her figure perfectly and he was pleased at the view of her chest. He was, after all, a man, and men noticed things such as her perfect figure, long legs and pale, smooth skin.

He slowly walked over to her and smiled down gently at the woman who had done so much for him. Even with the heels on, she was still a few inches shorter than him, and gave her a gentle peck on the cheek since he didn't want to get lipstick on himself, which, by the way, made her lips look even more desirable than they already were.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, receiving a slight blush and 'you do too' as answer. Walking to the door, he helped her put on her black overcoat and put on his own jacket before holding the door open for her. Walking down the stairs, he hooked her arm so that it was lying on his and off they were to their first destination.

The table he had booked was at a small restaurant that had an excellent chef and was shrouded in a relaxed atmosphere. Candles were lighting the room and the lights were dimmed so that they only gave as much light as was needed. Their table was at the far back, by the window and they had been escorted by the waiter after he had taken their coats and were now comfortably sipping a glass of champagne.

"So, mind telling me what this is all about?" Serena asked, putting her glass down, index finger and thumb resting on the stem and drawing little circles.

"Isn't it obvious?" Adam asked a bit confused. It was her _birthday_ , for Heaven's sake. She should at least have a hunch as to why he was taking her on such a nice date, not that he wouldn't have done it some other time too.

"Should it be?" she asked timidly, not quite getting what he was getting at.

"Wait, don't tell me you don't know?"

"Know what?"

 _What's going on?_

"It's your birthday."

Serena blinked once, not quite sure that she heard right.

"I beg your pardon."

"You heard me right; today's your 20th birthday. You can't seriously have forgotten it."

The gears in her head were turning furiously, trying to process the information her brain had just received. Then it suddenly clicked.

"What day are we?" she asked, looking at him with disbelief.

"November 13th."

He was kidding. Right? Serena couldn't believe that she would have forgotten her own birthday. But a quick glance at her wrist watch revealed the horrible realization to her that, yes, it really _was_ her damn birthday.

"Damn it," she cursed lowly, not believing that she had really forgotten it. A low chuckle from opposite her made her glance up at the male opposite her and she could see that he was trying to keep his laughter down, shoulders shaking.

Serena blushed at her own foolishness, quickly taking another sip of the fizzling drink to keep herself from blushing even more than she already was, though it did little to help. But soon she too was giggling and some people were looking over, wanting to know what the commotion was for. Serena cleared her throat, apologizing to the other guests by giving them an apologetic smile, before taking another sip of champagne with Adam doing the same, having calmed down now.

"You surprise me every time," the Faunus spoke up, a smile still present on his face.

"I can't believe I forgot my own birthday," Serena sighed.

"Guess that made my surprise even more surprising."

"I guess. But you didn't have to go out of your way. I don't want you to waste money on something like this. It's not a big deal, anyway," Serena said, feeling guilty that he had taken her to such a nice place and she hadn't even known why.

"It is a big deal. It's your birthday and as your boyfriend, I insist on treating you like a queen. At least for today," he objected. "You can treat me to dinner when it's my birthday in return, if that makes you feel better."

"Good idea. When is your birthday anyway? And how do you know that mine is today? I don't recall that we ever talked about those things," she asked, brows furrowing.

"Ruby told me. She thought that I knew, they all did, but apparently even you didn't. They told me that you had most likely forgotten, though I didn't believe it until just now," he replied, watching the flame of the candle dance. "And mine's on March 2nd."

"I see."

Their dinner continued with small conversations revolving around their job and how the students had progressed, but also about other things. When the food arrived, Serena felt like she was in Heaven, and this time for real. Both starter and main course were delicious, but the dessert was like the crown on it all. The slice of chocolate cake was still slightly warm and the chocolate tasted so good that she wished that she could have another slice of it. But her stomach was contently filled, though not in a bad way, it was just the right measure.

They both drank their glass of red wine in peace, Serena looking at the busy city life outside while Adam watched her, enjoying the look of sheer peace and happiness that was on her face. It had been a good thing to ask the girls for help on this matter. After drinking a coffee, Adam paid the bill and the waiter gave them their coats, helping Serena put on hers before holding open the door and wishing them a nice evening.

Serena was about to walk back home when Adam grabbed her hand and started leading her in the opposite direction, closer to the center of Vale. She wanted to ask him where he was going but decided against it, figuring that the surprises hadn't come to an end just yet. So instead, she silently followed him, her hand clasped safely in his until they came to a tall brick building out of which she could hear music come.

"What are we doing here?" she asked.

The red head only gave her a grin, pulling her further in and entering the tall house. They went down a long hallway, the music getting louder and suddenly, two large doors slid open and Serena had to put up her hand to shield her eyes from the sudden light. When they became used to the flashing lights, she realized that they were in what seemed to be a club with people either dancing on the dance floor that was situated in the middle or chatting on tables or the counter.

They descended the stairs and a man in a black suit, hat and sunglasses with matching gloves and a red tie offered to take their coats, which they gave to him. Adam continued on to the bar, Serena keeping close for fear of losing him in the sea of people. They stopped in front of the bar and Serena could hear Adam greeting someone. Peeking out from behind him, she saw a man that had to be in his late twenties to early thirties with black hair and beard. He, too, was dressed formally, though he wasn't wearing a suit but a white button up shirt with a black vest over it, black dress pants and black gloves. Like the others, he was wearing a red tie as well. By the different clothes, she guessed that he was the boss of the club.

"Adam. Haven't seen you in ages. How are you doing?" the man asked Adam, motioning for him to sit down. Only when Adam did so did he notice the woman that had been hiding behind the tall male. "And who's this? Your girlfriend?"

Adam turned a little and motioned for Serena to sit as well. "Junior, this is Serena Caldron. I'm sure you've heard of her."

"Of course I have. She's been all over the news the last months. So you're the infamous Grimm Tamer," Junior said with apprehension, scanning the woman from head to toe. She was a pretty thing, and he guessed that, judging by the look Adam was giving her, the two were in a romantic relationship. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Caldron. I'm Hei Xiong, though you can call me Junior like everyone else, humble owner of this small club."

"Nice to meet you. I can see that you know Adam," Serena replied, glancing over at the red head.

"Indeed I do. We've known each other for quite some time and I dare say he was one of my best guests. But anyway, would the two of you like anything to drink?"

"I'll take a Cuba Libre," Serena said, arms resting on the counter.

"Gin Tonic," Adam said, and Junior was off mixing their drinks.

"You never told me you had a friend who owned a club," Serena said, glaring at her partner playfully.

"Must have slipped my mind," he replied with a smirk.

"Here are your drinks," Junior announced setting the beverages down in front of the two. Both took a sip and were soon engaged in animated conversations with Junior, talking about the past the two males shared. A lot of the stories had Serena laughing heartily, gripping her stomach. They told Junior how they had come to know each other and, with the influence of alcohol, they were soon on the dance floor, enjoying themselves more than any of them had before.

It was one o'clock before they knew it and Junior was so kind as to drive them home, since both of them were slightly drunk, though not much which was surprising after all the drinks they had downed. He knew that Adam could drink a lot, but he hadn't expected the girl to be able to do the same.

He already liked her for that.

Setting them off in front of their apartment complex, he bode them goodbye and drove off. Serena felt the alcohol start to take effect as they ascended the stairs and predicted that she would have a headache the coming morning. But who cared; it was her birthday and she was allowed to have fun. She had expected that the night would be a bit wilder.

What she hadn't expected, though, were the things that followed.

Since they were both a little intoxicated and Serena looked just so damned gorgeous, Adam couldn't help himself and, as soon as the door to their flat was locked and the coats hung up, he bend down and captured Serena's lips with his own, pushing her against the door. The girl gasped at the sudden attack but didn't protest. To the contrary, she immediately snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, body flush against his. Soon, the shoes were discarded and she had one leg hooked around his thigh while he was holding her at her waist.

When Serena opened her mouth and let him invade it, however, he couldn't quite seem to control himself. Grabbing her other leg, he hooked it around his waist, her arms immediately locking behind his neck to keep her from falling to the ground and off to the bedroom they were.

Soon, Serena was lying on the bed, fingers buried in his hair and he was working on getting the dress off of her body, which proofed to be a little more problematic than he thought it'd be. Normally, he would simply rip the thing off, but this was Blake's dress and he was pretty sure that the cat Faunus would be angry with him if he ruined her dress. So, instead, he continued until he finally succeeded.

Serena slowly put her hands up, allowing him to slip the garment off her and his lips to invade her neck. Serena shuddered when he hit a specific spot and, noting this, he continued to suck and lightly bite on it. She fumbled with his shirt and soon that was gone too, along with his pants. Both were now only in their undergarments and it suddenly dawned on the raven head just what she was doing here.

Feeling self-conscious, she covered her chest with her arms, even if the bra was still on. But she noticed that Adam's eyes weren't fixed on her breasts but on her abdomen. Wondering why he would look there, she suddenly recalled the large scar that she had received during the plane crash. She quickly covered his eyes with her hands, startling him with her sudden action.

"Don't look!" she exclaimed. It was an ugly scar and she didn't want him to see it.

"Why not?" he asked lowly. He understood her concern, but he would never reject her because of a scar. Even if it was one as gruesome as this.

"It's ugly. I don't want you to see it," she whispered, looking away in shame. Surely he would not want to continue now, making her realize that she actually wanted to continue what they were currently doing. Even if she was scared.

"It's not ugly. How could anything ever be ugly on you. Let me see," he gently coaxed, carefully taking her hands in his and pulling them away from his face. Her face was turned away and he could see the shame she felt. Lowering down, he gently kissed the scar, making her gasp and look at him in shock. "It's just a sign of how strong you are."

Tears welled up in her eyes and he gently kissed her, assuring her that she was just fine the way she was. They continued like this, more gentle and slow than before and Adam could tell that she was nervous and scared of what was to come.

"Relax," he murmured against her neck, kissing it again and eliciting a small moan from her.

"I'm scared," came the whispered reply.

"I know," he said, moving up so that he could kiss her once on the lips before his lips brushed past her ear, whispering, "Just trust me."

"I always have," she whispered back, reaching her right hand up and kissing him on the cheek, eyes softening and closing before she let him take over. She soon found herself drowning in the pleasure that followed, though she could still make out the words "Happy Birthday" even through all the feelings and thoughts that were flowing around in her mind.

* * *

The sun peaked through the curtains that were drawn halfway across the window, making Serena scrunch her nose and open her eyes blearily. Blinking, she turned around, coming into contact with something warm. Blinking her eyes again, she squinted to see what she had hit.

The sight that greeted her warmed her heart.

Adam was peacefully sleeping next to her, mouth slightly agape and hair ruffled from their previous nightly activities. He was lying on his side, one hand slung possessively around her waist while the other was tucked by his chest. Serena smiled and moved closer to him so that her head was resting by his chest. He suddenly turned around in his sleep, now lying on his back. He'd dragged her with him and her head was now resting on his chest while both his arms were encircling her waist, holding her protectively and not letting go. The regular beating of his heart soon lulled her back into sleep. Though one thought crossed her mind before she succumbed to the sweet dreams that were awaiting her.

 _Best birthday ever._

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Whoo, longest chapter of the whole story. But I wanted to give you guys some romance and something to read, so I hope that you guys liked it. I hope that one scene (you know which one I mean) was okay for you guys. I'm not really good with writing those kind of things and don't feel comfortable if I were to write a whole lemon, so I just did it like this. But I guess that it still turned out pretty well.**

 **Tell me what you think and anything else that you want to know/tell me. I'm looking forward to the reviews!**


	50. Chapter 50: Girls Night Out

**Chapter 50: Girls Night Out**

"Come on Adam, you have to get up or we'll be late," Serena repeated for the umpteenth time, shaking the still sleeping male's shoulder in hope he would finally rise.

It was Friday, the last day before weekend and the worst days of all. It was already hard to get the male to get up at Monday, but Friday was the worst of them all. They both worked hard all week, him more so than her since he was the teacher responsible for the martial arts, and were always tired when the end of it finally arrived. But since he was the one that worked out more than her, he was more tired and on Fridays he was always so spent that it was near impossible to wake him up.

Serena yawned and went back into the bathroom, brushing her hair and ruffling it dry. Padding back into the bedroom, she quickly donned a black blouse, black jeans and brown ankle boots. Tying her shoes, she heard a groan come from behind and smiled when she looked over her shoulder to see her partner ruffle his hair. As if it would bring any order into that messy hair of his.

"Finally awake?" she asked, earning herself a half-hearted glare. Chuckling, she went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast while she heard the shower turn on. _Finally!_ she thought, making them some fried eggs with toast and brooding both of them a cup of coffee. Setting two plates down, she divided the eggs between them just as Adam strolled out of the adjacent room, hair still damp and eyes still half-asleep.

"Here," she said, handing him his cup while settling down by the table and sipping her own. Coffee always helped wake him up and he was soon sitting opposite her and eating his eggs. They ate in silence, as was mostly the case since he was still too tired. When finished, they set their plates aside and the young female quickly put them in the dish washer while the Faunus got ready for work.

"Hurry up Adam," Serena called, putting on her coat and waiting by the door for him. He soon emerged from the room, always amazing her how he still managed to get ready so fast and donned his own jacket before both exited the apartment and entered the morning streets of Vale. People were going to work and shops were slowly starting to open. The city was always the most peaceful in the morning and Serena enjoyed the quiet walk, her hand held warm by the other one that held hers.

* * *

"Good class. Today, we'll be making a little excursion to the Forever Fall forest," Serena announced, gaining the attention of her still chatting pupils. The kids quietened down and all eyes were on her. "We'll be going into the forest so that you can practice on how to really get along with Grimm."

"I'm sorry Miss, but what do you mean 'really get along'? I thought that we had absolved our training?" Pyrrha asked.

"That is true, but I want to see how you'll handle Grimm if you are not prepared for their attack. Since we've always been training in the classroom and I've always been with you, you were always ready for what was to come. But in the wild it's different and you'll have to get used to it. Only if you succeed here will you be finished with this part of your training."

The students nodded and Serena could feel the anticipation that lied in the air.

"We'll meet up at one o'clock in the campus. Don't be late or you'll be left behind. That is all," she finished just as the bell rung.

She cleaned the black board and grabbed her bag before exiting the classroom and walking towards the cafeteria, hurry for the long awaited lunch. Walking up to the nice cafeteria lady, she asked for her plate and, upon receiving it, made her way towards the teacher's lounge where the other teachers were having their lunch as well. Looking around, she noticed Raven sitting by herself and went over and took a seat by her new friend.

"Hey," the older woman greeted her.

"Hey."

Serena wasn't really sure what to talk about with the red-eyed woman and felt a bit awkward. But she immediately relaxed when Raven initiated a conversation.

"So, how have you been doing? I heard that your class is pretty popular among the students."

"I've been doing well so far. Had a few problems with one student but it's all solved now. I'm not really sure if I'm so popular, but the kids aren't complaining yet so that means that my class has to be half way good," she replied with a light smile.

"Don't be so modest. The students love you. My sister always talks about how great you are as teacher and how much fun she has when she's in your course. And from the looks of the other students, they do too," Raven said, giving the woman a small grin.

"If you say so," Serena mumbled, taking a bite of her roasted chicken.

"But more importantly, how are things with Adam? Have you two done it already?"

Serena almost choked on her chicken, coughing several times and downing a lot of water before she could finally breath normally again. Coughing a little more, she looked at the female sitting beside her with wide eyes, face red as a tomato.

"W-What?" she asked, not quite sure if she'd heard right.

"Oh come on, you've got to have gotten that far. I know that you're not really the type to jump on men, but it's been six months already."

Serena looked on in shock, not believing that this was actually happening. Where had that come from all of a sudden?!

"So?" Raven asked, drawing out the 'O' to emphasize the fact that she was still waiting for an answer. Serena mumbled something under her breath, but Raven couldn't quite understand what. "What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We have," came the still quiet reply, though she heard it this time. She gave the girl a wide grin and Serena turned even redder, if that was possible.

"Really?" Raven exclaimed, though Serena's hands quickly shut up to cover her mouth, not wanting the other teachers to listen in on their conversation. They were already looking at the two strangely.

"Shh, not so loud. I don't want the whole school to know," she whispered, Raven nodding in understanding and Serena took her hands away, sighing in relief when she noticed that the others weren't looking at them anymore.

"So, tell me; how was it?"

"Why should I tell you that?" Serena was the one who spoke too loudly this time, her voice an octave higher than normal, making the sentence come out as a squeak.

"Oh come on, we're friends. I won't tell anyone. Besides, I've never seen Adam treat someone like he does you."

The comment made Serena blush yet again.

"So?"

"It was…nice," she said almost in a whisper.

"Aha, more details, details!"

And so they talked, with Serena being red as a tomato for most the time and Raven grinning continuously. Though they soon changed the subject, for which Serena was grateful and it was Raven's turn to be embarrassed when asked how things were between Oobleck and her. The older female confessed that they had gone out to drink coffee, and Serena briefly wondered if that was even healthy for the man since he was already quite the hyper character without caffeine, and that they were going out eating the next evening. The girl was happy that the ex-member of the White Fang had found someone she could be happy with.

When it was time to part ways, both gave each other a hug before walking off to their respective classes. Arriving on the campus, Serena was glad to see that her entire class was assembled and they wet off into the woods. After about half an hour of walking, they stopped in a clearing, the students gathered around her, waiting for instructions.

"Alright guys, you know what to do. You can walk around now, just remember to always keep your guard up and don't wander off too far. If anything should happen, call me, got it?"

The students nodded their heads and off they were. Serena stayed behind, watching them from afar and always having an eye on the ones she thought could get into trouble. She was soon joined by an Ursa, the animal licking her cheek in greeting at having not seen her for so long while a Beowolf followed soon after, also licking her cheek.

"Ajax, Loki, it's good to see you again. How have you guys been?" she asked the animals.

 _It was boring without you,_ came the gruff reply from Ajax, the animal giving a huff to emphasize his statement.

 _Yeah. There was no one to play with and you weren't visiting for so long,_ Loki added, nudging her arm.

"Sorry, but I've been so busy with work that I didn't really find the time. I promise to visit more often from now on," she said, scratching both their heads in a way of apology.

 _You better or I swear I'm going to come visit you myself,_ Ajax snorted.

"I would advise you don't," Serena replied playfully, knowing that he never would do such a thing.

 _So how have you and that Faunus been?_ Loki inquired.

"Not you too," Serena exclaimed desperately, earning a few glances from two students that were nearby before she waved her hand at them, telling them to go on.

 _What? I'm only concerned about our dear Princess,_ the Beowolf replied.

"Princess? Since when am I a princess?"

 _Napoleon said that you were. You know, with the whole telepathic communication and so on. He said that you were our princess from now on,_ Loki explained, scratching his ear with one of his hind legs.

"Whatever the old man says," Serena mumbled.

 _So? I hope he's treating you well. Because if he's not…_ Ajax gave a low growl, making it pretty obvious what would happen to the male in question if he were to mistreat their precious friend.

"Yo don't need to worry about me. Adam's far too nice to do anything to me, you should know that. It was him, after all, that saved me back then." This seemed to abate the questioning of her two friends and the three were soon watching the students in silence. Everyone managed to successfully tame their own Grimm and Serena was proud at her students. They retuned to school soon, but before she went home, Ruby stopped her.

"Hey, I wanted to ask if you were interested in going out with me and my friends tonight. You know, go dance a little and so. I mean, it's Friday evening and I'm sure that Adam would come too if you asked him," the young girl asked.

"Sure. Where should we meet?"

"Great. Um, how about eight at our dorm?"

"Alright, I'll be there. See you later then!"

* * *

"This evening?"

"Yeah, with Ruby and the rest of her team. She wanted to go out with us and have a little fun," Serena explained to Adam who was changing from his sparring clothes to his regular ones.

"Sorry, but I can't. Apparently Goodwitch and Ozpin want to talk with me," he said, pulling his red T-Shirt over his head, grabbing the coat that was lying next to him.

"Really? What about?" she asked, worry evident in her voice.

The male looked down at her with soft eyes, noticing that she was worried that he'd gotten himself into trouble. Leaning down, he kissed her softly before saying, "Don't worry. It's nothin bad. They just wanted to talk about my position as teacher, nothing else."

"Oh, okay. Then I guess I'll be going alone with the girls."

"Yeah, but don't worry about me. Have fun. I know that you're good friends with them, so just enjoy yourself, okay?"

"'Kay," she replied before standing on her toes and pressing her lips against his again.

* * *

Serena was at their dorm at the appointed time, twiddling her fingers in nervousness. She had never really gotten to know the other members of Team RWBY, even if they were part of her class and was nervous about really getting to know them. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door that was soon thrown open by an energetic Ruby.

"Serena!" the girl exclaimed joyfully, hugging the girl in greeting.

"Hey," Seren replied shyly, standing back to see that the girl had, to her surprise, put on a dark red dress that went to mid-thigh with high heels. "I thought you said you couldn't walk in those shoes," Serena said teasingly.

"And I can't, but Yang and Weiss forced me to put them on, and trust me, you can't win when it comes to those two."

Serena gave a soft laugh before being let into the room where the other members were already finished, except for Weiss who put the finishing touch to her hair. All four of them looked beautiful, dressed in dresses that reached from above the knee to mid-thigh and all wearing heels. She felt a bit self conscious in her blue ripped skinny jeans, black high heels that she had brought herself to wear for this evening and black glitter top. The outfit was topped off with her usual black coat since it was, after all, early December and snow was soon to fall.

"Alright guys, let's go," Yang said enthusiastically, grabbing a black leather jacket to put over her violet dress that reached to mid-thigh, emphasizing her lavender eyes and hugging her figure in the perfect way to make her look even more appealing than usual. She was wearing black heels, like Ruby and Blake.

Blake put away the book that she had just been reading, placing it back in the book shelf before grabbing a black cardigan to wear over the black dress that she had borrowed Serena for her birthday with the same shoes. Weiss followed suit, her hair for once let down, wearing a beautiful white strapless dress that reached to slightly above her knees that had a small ribbon tied in the front . She put on a white cashmere coat that could be tied with a belt.

They left the dorm when everyone was ready and made their way to the city, talking all the while, though some, notably Ruby, talked more than others. They first went to a nice restaurant to eat something and Serena was not surprised that Yang knew the owner. She seemed like the type of person that knew a lot of people.

"So, Serena, what do you think of Beacon so far?" Weiss asked, putting another fork of her salad into her mouth.

"It's a great school and the teachers as well as the students are all very nice. Though there are some exceptions," she said, thinking back to Cardin Winchester.

"Yeah, but I guess every school has people like that," Ruby said, knowing exactly who Serena had meant with her last comment.

"But anyway, how are things between you and Adam? Being all romantic I can see," Yang asked, wagging her eyebrows suggestively.

For the second time on that day, Serena almost choked on her food and it took her at least two minutes to completely regain her composure before exclaiming exasperatedly, "What is this? The 'annoy Serena day' or what? Why does everyone keep asking me the same question?!"

The girls looked at each other in confusion, not quite getting why she was suddenly so exasperated but shrugged it off. The talk from then on revolved all around the young woman and her Faunus boyfriend and Serena noticed that Blake was quite talkative when it came to her former partner. She figured that the cat Faunus was only worried about her friend's well-being and could see the obvious delight her eyes held when she told them about how kind he was and so on.

Changing location from the restaurant to the club that belonged to Junior, she could see the surprise in Yang's face when the male greeted her as familiarly as he did the blonde. "You know him?" she asked.

"Yeah, I've been here with Adam before. Turns out he's an old friend of his and so we got to know each other," Serena replied over the loud music.

"Apparently he's not only Adam's friend. Look up there," Ruby said from beside them before pointing up towards the gallery that overlooked the dance floor and rest of the club. Squinting her eyes, Serena scanned the people sitting there before her eyes landed on a shock of orange hair.

"Is that-"

"Torchwick!" Weiss exclaimed and soon they were all climbing the stairs, the girls ready to confront the criminal and call the police to hand him in. He was sitting with a small woman that had light pink and brown hair and the same pair of eyes. She was looking at them all and scribbled something onto a sheet of paper before showing it to the man that was sitting opposite her, with his back turned towards the approaching females.

The man tensed and slowly turned around to see Ruby glaring down at him, Yang, Blake and Weiss standing behind her, all with their arms crossed while Serena kept to the side. She had nothing to do with the ongoing feud between the girls and the criminal and decided it be best if she waited to see what was going to happen.

"Red, what a surprise to see you here. I thought minors weren't allowed into this club?" the man asked with a voice of joy and delight, as if he was happy to see the girls.

"What are you doing here Torchwick? Shouldn't you be in jail or something?" Yang asked suspiciously.

"Oh, but you see, I am no longer a criminal."

"Yeah right," Weiss snorted, not believing the man for a second.

"Believe it or not, but I have given up on my criminal career and am now an honest and upright citizen."

"Oh really?" Ruby asked, eyebrow raising.

"Really. Just ask your principal and he'll tell you that I made a deal with him and that thick-headed general," the man replied smugly, a grin forming on his lips.

"What kind of deal?" Blake asked.

"I give him information about the big fish in the underground world and he doesn't arrest me. Of course, only as long as I don't do anything."

"That's true," Serene injected for the first time, walking up closer to the group. "Professor Ozpin has informed all the teachers about this agreement. Just in case that trouble should occur."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met yet," Torchwick said, eying the woman carefully.

"I'm Serena Caldron, a teacher at Beacon."

The name rung a bell to him and it took him some time until he remembered it. "Ah, the famous Grimm Tamer. A pleasure to meet you. How about you and your friends join me and Neo. Since we are no longer enemies, there is no harm in having a drink together," the man offered, gesturing to the empty seats.

"I don't think that-"

"It would be my pleasure," Serena replied, stunning Ruby and the rest into silence and taking a seat next to the woman called Neo.

The girls looked at each other questioningly before also taking a seat, Ruby sitting right next to Torchwick. Conversation was awkward at first and Serena could feel the distrust that the four females still held regarding the criminal, but with a few drinks and some time, they all lightened up.

The evening was enjoyable and they had a lot of fun together, laughing about Ruby getting teased by Roman, as he had introduced himself, and about all the amusing things that had happened in the past involving the team and the criminal. Roman's face was priceless when Ruby told him that she had found his secret hide out in Mountain Glenn by coincidence and the man looked shocked until late into the evening.

Serena got to know the other members as well, and talked a lot with Blake about the books she had read, since she also loved literature. It was a great evening and Serena was sure that it was one of the best that she'd had so far, though her number one was still the evening of her birthday that she had spent together with Adam.

* * *

 **Torchwick is back! And yes, I made him a good guy since I always thought that he wasn't as bad as he seemed. Plus, he's a fun guy and I have something in mind for him, though I'm not going to tell you what. You'll see in the last chapter what it is, so keep on reading.**

 **And so sorry for the long wait but I've been too busy.**

 **Don't forget to review and tell me what you think!**


	51. Chapter 51: Merry Christmas

**Chapter 51: Merry Christmas**

Serena Caldron was in a dilemma. Christmas was approaching and she had no idea what to buy as a gift. She'd invited Ruby and her team together with Torchwick, Neo, Raven and Junior to celebrate Christmas at their flat and had everything planned out.

Except for the gifts.

She knew what Ruby would like (definitely something that has to do with weapons), but she had no idea on what to buy the others. Blake would probably be happy with a book, but apart from that, she was lost.

That was the reason why she was currently strolling through Vale, looking at shop windows in hope that something would catch her eye. So far, she had already bought Ruby a new pouch for her ammunitions, so that the young girl could carry more with her. The pouch was similar to the one she'd had when she had lived in the forest and could be stripped to either the waist, or simply hooked onto the belt. It was in the colors red and black, Ruby's favorite, and she hoped that the girl would like it.

Passing by a bookshop, she entered in hope that she would find a book for Blake. The shopkeeper greeted her and she returned the greeting before going around and looking at all the different sections. Stopping by the romance novels, a book caught her eye. It was a thick one with a red cover and was entitled "Tales of Remnant". In it, there were multiple stories about events that revolved around war, murder and love and Serena was sure that Blake would love it.

She'd gotten a glance at the book the cat Faunus had been reading when she'd met up with her and the others for their little party night and it had been something about a ninja falling in love with his next target.

Content that she'd found something, she walked over to the cashier and asked him to wrap it up. The man did so and she paid for the object before putting it in her messenger's bag and walking out the door, continuing her quest for gifts.

* * *

"I'm back," Serena called as she entered the flat, taking off her black coat and shawl and walking over to the bedroom to set off her bag. Her hands still felt could and she rubbed them together to make them warm again. Snow had started to fall only a week ago, but it was already high and temperatures had dropped to below zero.

Walking into the kitchen, she brewed herself a cup of coffee to get warm again and sipped at it until a pair of arms snaked around her waist from behind and she was kissed on the cheek.

"Welcome back," the one holding her said and Serena turned around to give him a kiss on the cheek as well. "How was shopping?" Adam asked, letting go of the woman and brewing himself a cup of coffee as well.

"It was okay, though I did need quite a lot of time until I found a gift for everyone. And it's freezing cold out there," she whined, pressing her hands against the warm mug.

"Found anything nice?"

"I did, but I'm not gonna tell you what. It's a surprise," she replied with a smile and glint in her eyes that told him that shows not going to budge no matter what.

"Suit yourself," the male replied, leaning on the table that stood by the wall.

"If you don't have anything to do later on, could you help me prepare dinner? I want to start today so that I'll be ready for Friday," Serena asked, looking at the man that was still leaning on the table in the most nonchalant way, yet he made it look like the most attractive thing that on could possibly do.

"Sure," he replied and they soon set off to work. It was still two days until Christmas Eve, but Serena wanted to prepare everything that she could in advance so that she wouldn't be stressed when the actual day arrived.

The girl planned on making what her mother usually made for Christmas, so that it would be a little like old times. For that, she had thought of, as starters, a salad with fried shrimps, then, as main course, a roasted turkey with chestnut stuffing, roast parsnips, cranberry sauce and some more salad. As finishing touch, the dessert will be a chocolate mousse, her favorite. It was nothing special, but her mom had made this every year and Serena wanted to keep the tradition. They prepared everything except for the main course and put the food in the fridge so that it would stay fresh.

* * *

Serena had just finished putting the finishing touches on her make up when the doorbell rang and she rushed over to let her first guests in. She was wearing a red top with black pants underneath and a light black jacket over the top. Her hair was down and her eyes were rimmed with some eyeliner and mascara. Pulling open the door, she was greeted by the sight of Ruby and her team, all dressed differently and clashing in colors.

Ruby was wearing a dark red top with white shirt underneath and a black skirt that reached mid-thigh with black stockings underneath, together with a simple golden necklace and her red cloak. The girl just couldn't leave her cloak behind. Yang was wearing a golden dress that also reached mid-thigh with black heels and a black coat. Weiss had on a white blouse that had puffy arms and a white skirt that reached to just above her knees together with white fur-trimmed boots, all topped off with a white jacket. Blake was wearing a purple pullover with dark purple pants and black boots, also combined with a black coat.

Serena wondered how neither Ruby nor Yang could feel cold in those clothes.

"Serena!" Ruby greeted the older female, crushing the girl in a hug. Serena let out a slight 'oof' but returned the gesture nonetheless and let her friend enter the apartment, followed by the other three girls after they had all greeted their host.

"Wow, your flat looks really nice!" Yang said, looking at the living room in which a christmas tree was standing, decorated with some red bullets and a few lights that were lung around it. Serena thanked the girl for the compliment, telling them all to sit down while she went and grabbed some glasses and a bottle of champagne that she had bought.

When she got back, Adam was also there, finishing greeting Blake and took the glasses from her to fill them up with champagne while Serena went to get the door. She was greeted by Torchwick, Neo, Junior and Raven, all of which either gave her a hug (Neo and Raven) or simply shook her hand (Torchwick and Junior). She led them to the others and the girls were all surprised to see the ex-criminal mastermind enter the room.

"Torchwick?!" Ruby exclaimed, not understanding what the man was doing there.

"A pleasure to see you too, Red," the man replied with a smirk, waving over to the girl that was still in shock of seeing her former enemy. Roman simply chuckled at the flabbergasted expression of the girl before settling down in the couch next to Blake who gave him a quick glance of distrust and surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Weiss seethed, ice blue eyes narrowing at the male.

"I invited him, along with Junior and Neo," Serena spoke up. "We're good friends and I figured that it'd be more lively this way." _Which it certainly is,_ she thought before continuing, "Besides, they're no longer your enemies and this is Christmas. So let's just enjoy the evening and celebrate in harmony."

"That's right. Now who wants a glass of champagne?" Adam interjected, drawing their attention to him and handing everyone a glass, hesitating, however, when it came to Ruby. "You sure you're old enough to drink?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course; I'm sixteen now, so I'm legally allowed to drink," the girl replied, giving a slight pout.

"If you say so."

Serena had to smile at the antics of both. Ruby had told her a lot about Torchwick and how much he annoyed her, but right now, she could only see that he was teasing her good-naturedly and she was responding to it, whether consciously or not. When they continued their bickering, she had to put her hand to her lips to keep herself from laughing out loud, though she couldn't quite hide the giggles that escaped her.

Adam looked over at the young woman, and raised an eyebrow in questions, not quite getting why she was laughing so much. The girl simply shook her head and pointed to the orange-haired man and her friend and he soon understood why she was laughing. He had to hold in a light snicker of his own.

"Alright," Serena said, getting her giggles back under control and stepping up, stopping Ruby and Roman from going any deeper into their argument, "How about we start cooking dinner so that we can get started?" She earned a sound of agreement and soon everyone was seated by the table.

Ruby was sitting on the head, next to her was Blake, then Junior and Raven. On the opposite side were (from left to right) Roman, Neo, Yang and Weiss. On the heads of the table were Adam, sitting next to Raven and Serena, sitting to the left of Ruby.

Serena was currently busy in the kitchen, preparing the salad on the plates while simultaneously frying the shrimps. Adam helped her by giving her the plates to her when the shrimps were ready, surprised that the girl managed not to let the fish burn even though she was occupied with her things. Having divided the shrimps equally, Adam took three plates while Serena took the remaining five and balancing them all successfully until they were in front of each guest. She thanked her part-time job as a waiter that she'd had in her last year of high school.

"Wow, this looks delicious," Raven said, giving the younger female a smile of appreciation.

"Hope you'll like it. My mom used to do this when it was Christmas, and I hope that it'll be as good as hers," Serena said, raising her glass of wine and, with everyone else doing the same (though Ruby and Blake chose to drink water), they toasted and started eating. The meal was silent and Serena was worried that it was no good, but when she looked up and at her guests, she could see the pure bliss that crossed their faces, smiles on some faces. Adam caught her eyes and gave her a thumb up and a smile, and she continued eating with a slight smile of her own.

Dinner continued like this, animated conversations going back and forth and teasing being exchanges (mainly between Ruby and Torchwick). The guests were in delight when dessert arrived and even after they had finished it, they remained seated and continued talking, about the past and about the future and present.

When it was almost twelve o'clock, Serena said that they should perhaps take their coffee in the living room and, after having changed location, they sipped their coffee or tea in peace, conversation having died down a little but still going on.

"Shouldn't we be opening presents soon?" Ruby asked timidly, glancing at the packages that had been placed underneath the tree by Serena. Serena nodded and they each went over and grabbed their own package, giving it to the one person it was destined for. Serena went over to Adam and gave him his present, twiddling her fingers while he unwrapped it. It was a simple red scarf and she hoped he liked it.

Adam carefully took out the red piece of garment, feeling the soft wool and inspecting it. It was finely made and he could see that it was handmade. "Did you do this yourself?" he asked, eyeing the girl that was standing before him nervously. She gave a quiet nod of the head. He hadn't expected her to make one herself and couldn't hide the smile that spread across his lips.

"I'm sorry that it's nothing special. I didn't really know what to get you so… And I thought that you liked red, since your clothes are mostly red, and just assumed that you would like it," she continued on blabbering, getting even more anxious when he remained silent. Maybe it had been the wrong choice after all. Her babbling was however stopped when she felt a pair of lips on her cheek and she immediately looked upwards, seeing a smile on the red head's face.

"It's great, thank you."

The female smiled and opened the present that was handed to her, eyes widening when she saw that her gift was a pair of undergarments; those of the sexy kind. Her face went full on red and Adam let loose a laugh, the girl stammering and somehow trying to get rid of the blood that continued to rush to her head. The others were looking over at her and most were smiling or laughing at the couple, Blake happy that Adam seemed so relaxed.

She didn't know that he could be such a tease.

Ruby however, soon stopped laughing when she received a present from Torchwick to her surprise and was greeted with the same sight, only that the underwear wasn't as sexy and in the color red. Her face was even redder than that of her friend and now both girls were stuttering and Ruby cursing and hitting Roman, though only lightly.

Suddenly, a loud bang was heard on the door and Adam went to see what was going on. Serena put away the embarrassing gift, stopping when she heard arguing coming from the entrance door and the sound of two other men talking to Adam in an urgent tone of voice. The others had quietened as well, and the girl went to go see what was wrong.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, standing so that she could see past her boyfriend who was partially blocking the door. She could see two men, both about forty, wearing what looked to be a police uniform. "Did something happen?" she questioned, worried about why the police should be there.

"Are you Serena Caldron?" the one on the left asked.

"I am."

"We need you to come with us right now," the other one, the one on the right, said, his eyes darting around nervously.

"She's not going anywhere," Adam said, pushing the girl slightly behind him.

"Please, this is an emergency," one of the two said.

"Adam, it's okay. I'll go and see what's wrong," Serena told the male, laying a hand on his shoulder to calm him down and, after grabbing her jacket, she went out the door, the two police officers leading the way. She could hear the others following soon after, several feet hurrying down the stairs after her.

"What's going on?" she asked, following the men to the center of Vale.

"A large group of Grimm has suddenly appeared at the border of the city and are advancing still. We have tried everything to stop them, but they are still continuing on."

"Have they attacked anyone?" she asked with worry, not understanding why the Grimm should suddenly come to the city.

"Not yet, but we fear that they will once they've reached the center. We hoped that you could help us," the one on the left spoke this tim, stopping a car with his badge and crossing the street with them.

"Of course," Serena answered, concentrating on the Grimm's aura, noticing that they were now in the middle of the city, at least fifteen and none of them were moving from there. "We should hurry. They're already there."

They continued to jog, slipping in the snow sometimes, but continuing on nonetheless until they reached the center. The men backed away as soon as they saw the monsters and Serena started walking towards them, noticing that Napoleon was among the Ursas.

"Napoleon," she greeted the Grimm, people around them looking at the group in both horror and awe.

 _It is good to see you again, child,_ the Grimm responded.

"It is, but may I ask what you all are doing here?"

 _We have not come to harm the humans if that is what you fear,_ he answered, walking towards her and nuzzling his snout against her head once before retreating and looking at her. The rest of the Grimm were still standing where they had been, looking around them curiously at the onlookers. Adam, Ruby and the others stopped when they spotted the group, not daring to go closer.

"Then why are you here?" Serena asked, spotting Loki and Ajax, who gave her a small wave with their paws. "And why did you bring so many Grimm. You know how people react when they see you," she said exasperatedly, not getting why they were all here.

 _We have come to wish you and the rest of the humans a merry Christmas and would like to celebrate with you all._

The answer caught the girl completely by surprise and she had no idea what to think of it. "You want to celebrate? With us all?" she asked in disbelief.

 _Yes. I think that we have kept away from the humans for long enough now. It is time that we get to know each other and grow closer. I can see that your mate and friend are here as well,_ Napoleon said, giving a huff and nodding his head towards the small group.

"Yeah, we were just opening presents," she replied absentmindedly. "But never mind. Now, what are we going to do?"

 _Just tell them._

The answer seemed very simplistic, but the girl guessed that it was worth a shot and turned around, addressing the people that were still there observing the exchange between the two of them.

"Citizens of Vale," she started off. "The Grimm are not here to hurt you. In fact, they have come to celebrate Christmas with us." Disbelieving rumors and laughs went through the crowd. Of course the idea sounded silly, but it was the truth. "The Grimm wish to grow closer to us and have come in peace and without any intention of causing harm," she said, shushing the whispers.

"That's great!" Ruby exclaimed, surprising everyone and walking up to the Grimm and her friend. "Hey Loki, Ajax. It's so good to see you guys again," she greeted the Grimm, receiving a lick of the face as always from them.

Slowly, the rest of Serena's friends started to approach and with them came the others. Slowly but surely, people started to relax in the presence of the creatures. The sudden sound of music caught everyone's attention and Serena spotted a man with a guitar who was playing. Another soon joined with a flute and suddenly there was an entire orchestra assembled.

Serena could see some children dance together with Loki and Ajax and had to laugh at the happy faces both made, carefully holding the children's hands in their paws and standing on their hind legs. Neo pushed Torchwick to a dancing Ruby and the two former arch enemies were soon dancing together, the rest of Team RWBY soon following and Junior dancing with Neo. Other people were dancing as well and Serena could feel an arm on her waist whisk her away and into the arms of Adam. She laughed and they started dancing, everyone else doing the same and more and more people joining in as well.

Grimm and Humans alike were enjoying themselves, no longer scared to be close to each other and the party went on into the night, the music growing happier and the people doing the same. It was all over the news the next day and people called it the "Christmas Miracle". It was the most extraordinary and fun Christmas that people had ever experienced and it would remain in the memory of all that had participated that day.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **I know it's not the best chapter of the story, but it was really hard to write this and I hope that it's somewhat okay. The next ones will get better, I promise!**


	52. Chapter 52: Unnamed

**Chapter 52: Pregnant**

Sick.

That was how Serena felt at the moment. All throughout the past month she'd been feeling sick, sometimes throwing up and sometimes getting cramps that hurt like hell. She had no idea what was wrong with her; she hadn't eaten anything funny the past weeks, yet she felt sick every single time she thought about food, or ate, or was just taking a walk!

She'd had to take the day off, not able to remain standing for twenty minutes without having to run to the next bathroom. She'd explained things to Adam, he'd even opted to stay home and take care of her (which was really sweet of him), but she'd told him that she would be fine on her own and that he should not worry about her. Though she could see that he was still worrying about her.

She was momentarily lying in bed, trying to get some sleep since she hadn't slept much the previous night, before she felt sick again. Throwing aside the blanket, she quickly got up and rushed to the toilet, doubling over just as all that she had eaten (which wasn't much to begin with) came up and into the toilet. She scrunched her nose at the foul taste and the feeling that overcame her every time bile started to come up as well.

Getting up, she rinsed her mouth for the tenth time and sprayed her face with water, getting rid of the sweat. She thought about what could have caused her to become so sick. She was one-hundred percent sure that it had nothing to do with food, which left few options. Maybe she'd caught some kind of virus? But none of her students or the teachers had been sick, so that was probably not it as well.

A thought crossed her mind and her eyes widened at the possibility of it. It couldn't be! She washed some more cold water over her face, trying to get a clear mind. There was the possibility of it being so, but still…

A knock on the door accompanied by the voice of Ruby and Yang distracted her from her thoughts. Drying off her face, she put a thin jacket over the navy blue top that she was wearing and went to the door. She was greeted by the concerned faces of the two sisters, saying a meek "hey" in ways of greeting and letting the two females enter.

"Serena, are you okay?" Ruby asked, concern written all over her face.

"Not really," the raven head replied honestly, gesturing for them to take a seat in the living room. "Would you like some tea?" she asked, but before she could even attempt to get to the kitchen, Ruby caught her arm and motioned for her to sit down, telling her that she would take care of the tea. Serena nodded and sat down in the comfy armchair by the window, Yang sitting opposite her.

"Adam told us that you were sick," Yang started off. "We wanted to make sure that you were okay, so we asked Professor Ozpin if we could go check on you. Luckily he agreed on it. He told us to tell you that he hopes you'll be better soon."

"That's really nice of him. Tell him that I appreciate it and hope so as well," Serena said, grabbing the mug of tea that Ruby reached her as she re-entered the room. The girl sat next to her sister and they quietly sipped their tea for a few moments before Ruby spoke up.

"So, what's wrong with you?"

"I honestly don't know. I've been feeling sick for about a month now, though it hasn't been as bad as it is now."

"Think you caught an infection or virus or something?" Yang asked, placing her cup on the wooden table that adorned the room.

"I'm not sure. None of the people I've been around has been sick lately and I also haven't eaten anything funny lately."

"And what if you're…" Yang trailed off, not really sure how to say this, though they all knew what she meant.

"It can't be. I mean, you didn't-" Ruby started, but stopped when she saw that Serena was blushing more and more. "Oh my god, you did?!" she exclaimed with giddy joy. Serena only nodded, head down and back to sipping tea. The silver-eyed girl looked over to her sister in joy. "So you mean she could be pregnant?!"

"It's a possibility," Yang replied, shrugging her shoulders as though it was no big deal (which it totally was).

"I don't think that I can get pregnant," Serena objected silently.

"Huh? Why not?" Ruby asked, not understanding what the older girl meant.

"You see, when I got here and woke up in the forest, I noticed something. The thing is, before I came here, I had my period, but when I woke up back then, I didn't have it anymore."

"So you mean," Yang said, eyes lowering in sadness.

Serena nodded solemnly. "I probably don't have my ovaries anymore. I guess I somehow lost them when I got here, which would make it impossible for me to become pregnant," she finished quietly.

The room was silent for a few moments.

"But you're not sure, right?" Ruby asked.

"No, but I don't think that there is any other plausible explanation. Otherwise, I would still get my period, which I don't."

"Then you should go to the doctor," Yang said. "Let him run a few tests, see if what you say is true. I mean, it could also be that you just don't get your period anymore but can still conceive children. It wouldn't be that unrealistic; after all, you were transported into another world when you should actually be dead."

"I guess not," Serena said, a little dumbfounded at the possibility of what Yang said being true. "So, what doctor do you suggest?"

* * *

"Miss Caldron!" the assistant called, her head peeking out of the room that served as examination room. Serena stood up and went over to the woman, giving her a small smile in greeting and entering, the assistant closing the door. Heading over to the desk, she seated herself in the chair that was placed in front of it and waited for the gynecologist to get there.

"Hello Miss," a man of about forty-five years greeted her as he took his seat in front of her. "I heard that you needed a scan of your sexual genitals. Tell me, are you having any trouble with them? Any pain or cramps?" he asked, filing out a report of her person.

"No, that's not the problem," Serena answered, not sure how she should explain the situation to someone who didn't know what she'd been through. She tried nonetheless and, although the man was at first skeptical, he seemed to believe her a little more by the time she was finished and even recognized her as the Grimm Tamer.

"I will have a look at it at once. If you would please come over her and take off your pants, Miss," he said, leading her to a smaller, adjacent room that held a stretcher and an ultrasonic machine. Serena did as told and was soon lying on the stretcher, gel being rubbed onto her stomach and pelvis by the assistant.

The man scanned her stomach and lower region and told her that everything was fine with her ovaries, however, there was something else there that wasn't supposed to be room with mixed feelings.

She went to Beacon, encountering a few students and teachers on her way there, but she wasn't really paying much attention to anything at that point in time and suddenly found herself in front of Ruby's door. The girls, Blake and Weiss among them, talked long about what to do and how she should tell Adam about this.

After all, no one had thought that this would happen.

* * *

It was late evening when Serena arrived back home and unlocked the door, tired by what had happened. Hanging up her coat, she slurred to the living room and sat down in the armchair by the window, drawing her knees up and head resting on them. Adam was not yet home and she was thinking hard about how she should break the news to him.

When the front door opened, she jerked her head up and observed him as he hung up his coat as well. He was about to go to the bedroom, thinking that she was still there, until he noticed her sitting in the living room.

"Hey," he greeted her, kissing her on the cheek. But by the lost and confused expression on her face he realized that something was off. Squatting down next to her, he took her hands in his and asked her what was wrong. "Are you still feeling ill?" He was worried that she might feel even worse than before.

"Yeah." The reply came as if she wasn't even really listening to what he was saying.

"Hey now, what's wrong?"

"Adam," she started off, tears gathering at the edges of her eyes. "I have to tell you something."

At the sight of tears, he swiftly picked her up and sat down on the chair himself, her nestled against his chest, head resting in the crook between his neck and shoulder. "You can tell me anything," he whispered, hoping to soothe her with a kiss to her head and running his hand up and down her back.

Serena sobbed once and buried her head in his shoulder.

"Just tell me. I won't be angry," he tried to calm her, having no idea what was wrong. This morning she had been feeling ill and now she suddenly had to tell him something that made her cry.

"I…" Serena took a deep breath, swallowing an oncoming sob to tell him what he needed to know. "I… I'm pregnant."

Adam tensed, his hand stilling on her back and breath hitching in his throat.

"What?" he asked slowly, not trusting his hearing at the moment even though he knew it was immaculate.

"I'm pregnant," the girl repeated, fearing that he was angry with her. It would be no surprise. They were still young, barely together for about a year and she went and got herself pregnant.

"You're…pregnant," he repeated slowly, his mind trying to process the information. Serena nodded against his neck, head burying further into it. Adam stared a few seconds into nothingness, before it finally dawned on him.

With a speed and strength Serena wasn't aware he possessed, he was suddenly standing, holding her in his arms still and twirling her around. When he came to a halt, the girl looked up to see the biggest and most loving smile on his face that she had ever seen. He kissed her on the hair, the forehead, the nose and finally on the mouth, conveying to her all of the joy he felt.

"You're… You're not mad?" Serena questioned half in disbelief, half in awe.

"How could I be mad about this? I'm going to become a father. A father!" he exclaimed, hugging her more closely to him, almost crushing her but she didn't mind.

"So, you want to have the children?" she asked cautiously, peeking up at him through blurred eyes.

"Of course I do! Wait. Children?" he repeated, looking down at her with big eyes who were a bright red, brighter than she gad seen them be yet. Serena nodded once, giving him a small but loving smile and he told himself that she had never looked as much as an angel as she did right then and there.

"I have twins," she told him quietly but proudly, settling a hand on her stomach. He kissed her again, not believing the luck he had.

The evening was spent with discussing about names and what they would look like, whom they would take after. The next day, Serena went back to work and informed Ozpin of her current condition. The man smiled and hugged her (which she hadn't expected) and congratulated her full-heartedly. The teachers did the same as soon as they heard of the news and even the students congratulated her, some girls even crying and hugging their teacher.

Serena was overwhelmed by all the compassion and love she received, and for the rest of the day she could not stop smiling and cried more than once.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **It's twins! Oh man, I was so thrilled to finally be able to write this chapter and I hope you guys like it just as much as I do. Tell me what you think! And there will be some more fluffy chapters - fluff overflow! - before this little baby has to come to an end.**


	53. Chapter 53: Proposal

**Chapter 53: Proposal**

Three months had passed ever since Serena knew that she was pregnant. Adam was shown to be a very caring man. He did almost all of the house chores, including cooking, accompanied her whenever she went out for grocery shopping and did everything he could so that she didn't have to do anything. It was new for Serena to have someone care so extensively for her and she had to smile every time he offered to carry her bag or take over cooking.

A bump was now visible where the babies were and with it came the mood swings, the craving for sweets and anything else that accompanied pregnancy. There were times when Serena started crying for the smallest things, at others, she was so furious that Adam actually feared for his life.

It was exhausting to say the least and the man had no idea how he should deal with this for another six months. But there were also the more intimidate parts.

For example, the Faunus loved to rest his head on his woman's stomach and listen to the kicks that the babies made and the faint heartbeats that could be heard with his fine hearing. He still couldn't believe that he was actually going to be a father soon, the idea still sounding quite surreal to him. But every time he looked at the woman he loved he was reminded that, yes, God had actually granted him to have such a happy life.

He didn't know what he did to deserve it, but he thanked God with his whole heart and wouldn't give it up for anything.

But there were also questions going through his mind at the prospect of having two children. They had to take care, maybe even buy a bigger place to stay (a house, if possible), and he was sure that people would start to talk when they got wind of the young woman being pregnant already. He cared not about himself, for he did not value gossip, but he cared for Serena and with what kind of situations she could be faced. Surely, people would ask if they had already tied the knot and be shocked when told, no, they hadn't.

So the question was: should he ask her to marry him or not?

It may still be too soon, too sudden and the last thing he wanted to do was to scare the woman he loved so much off by forcing her into something she was not yet ready for. So, to answer this question and get a clear mind again, he sought help from the one person he was sure would keep his troubles to herself.

Knocking on Team RWBY's door, he was greeted by the bubbly team leader who invited him in. He had to decline, though, asking fro his former partner. The cat Faunus appeared in the door no later and asked him what was wrong.

"I need some advice," said he, Blake noticing that he needed to talk to her somewhere privately. Excusing herself, she told him that they should walk for a bit and they were soon walking around campus.

"So what is it?" the girl inquired, looking at her former mentor with worried in her eyes. Never before had she seen him so unsettled. Back in the White Fang, he had always known his goal and how to get there. Even when the attack had happened half a year ago, he had known exactly what to do: fight and protect the girl he loved. But now, he seemed lost, not sure on which path to decide.

"You've heard that Serena's pregnant I assume?" he asked, glancing at her golden eyes, receiving a nod in answer. "Yeah, well, I don't know what I should do now."

"What do you mean?" the car Faunus asked, tilting her head in inquiry.

"I was thinking about what would happen when the kids are there. About the future. And I thought that, maybe…" He trailed off, not sure if the question he was going to ask was even an option.

"Adam?"

"I thought, maybe I should ask her…to…marry…me."

The last part came in broken sentences and he heard the girl gasp in surprise. Turning to her, he saw her golden eyes were wide and mouth agape with disbelief.

"Too soon?" he asked unsure.

Blake regained her composure, telling him that, no, it was not too soon, she was just surprised. "And when would you like to ask her?"

"Today preferably. I was thinking about marrying before the babies come."

"I don't know about Serena, but I think you should go ahead," Blake said. "The two of you are so close, I'm sure she would say yes if you asked her."

"You think?"

She replied with a nod and they talked about how he should ask, what he should do in case she declined and other things. When saying goodbye, they hugged, him thanking her for the advice and her wishing him good luck. Needless to say, as soon as Blake returned to her room, her roommates asked her questions and soon people had to wonder what all the cheering was about.

* * *

"I'm home," Adam announced. "Serena?" he asked, worried because she did not answer.

"In the kitchen!"

He entered the small room and saw the girl standing at the counter, cutting vegetables for their dinner. He hugged her from behind, kissing her cheek before telling her that he would take over and she could rest.

"I'm fine Adam, really. How about you help me? That way I won't have that much work left," she said and he obliged, cutting the meat and vegetables that were still left, but then finally convincing her to go sit at the table while he took care of the rest. She could be quite stubborn if she wanted to be.

Dinner went in small conversation, her telling him that the babies were coming along well, according to the doctor, and about how much Ruby and the others were fretting over her whenever she taught them. But the young woman noticed that something was not right, that his mind was elsewhere.

"Okay Adam, what's wrong?" she asked finally, putting down her cutlery and looking the male dead in the eye.

"Hmm?" he asked, glancing up and seemingly coming out of his thoughts.

"You've been distracted all this time. Tell me what's on your mind."

"I've been thinking," he started off.

"I can see that," she replied, a little sarcasm interlaced into her response. The male gave her a grin before resuming his serious demeanor and continuing what he had been saying.

"I've been thinking about the babies."

Serena's breath hitched and she feared that, now that knew how things would be, he was no longer willing to become father. Adam soothed her the moment he saw the fear in her eyes.

"I was thinking that, maybe, we should make things a little more official."

"Official?" she asked, cocking her head in question. _What does he mean by official? As in, tell the news that I'm pregnant or what?_

Her thoughts, however, were interrupted when he suddenly stood up up, walking to until he was standing in front of her, kneeled down on one knee while taking hold of her hand his with his.

 _Oh my god, he's not going to-_

"Serena Caldron. I met you in the most dire and unusual circumstances. I treated you badly and without respect for the first days I was in your company, yet you never gave up on me. You took care of me like no else has, shown me the kindness I thought had become extinct among humans.

"You taught me things that I would never have learned without you, and have made me forget the miserable past that I have. And when I left you, you showed me a love so sincere that it hurt my heart to leave you. Yet, even when you had been captured by the White Fang and forced to attack the people you love, you stood strong and held to your ideals.

"It's your strength, kindness and love that opened my eyes and made me see the path I had been heading. It was you who led me out of the dark of hatred and into the light of love and it is you who now gives me the joy of becoming a father.

"It is out of love for you and the children that you carry with you that I ask you now. Do you, Serena Caldron, woman to whom my heart is and will always belong and whom I will protect wth my life, want to become my wife?"

Serena had tears in her eyes the moment he had begun his speech, but when he protruded the small black velvet box and opened it to show a beautiful silver ring, she could no longer hold them and let them run freely down her face. She put a hand to her lips, trying to stifle the sobs that were working their way out of her and could only nod her head in response to his proposal.

"Yes," she said breathlessly, a smile adorning both their faces and she cried even harder when he slid the simple piece of jewelry onto her finger and kissed her hand once. She leaned froward, arms wringing around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, the hug being returned with just as much love. She breathed him in, rejoicing in the scent of earth and forest that he always seemed to have while he breathed in the soothing aroma of flowers and the wild air.

"I love you," she murmured into his shoulder.

"I love you too," he replied, making her cry anew.

They remained like that for a long time, enjoying the warmth given by the other and, when going to bed, both fell asleep hugging the other, Adam's arm slung protectively over her stomach, holding the woman that was so precious to him as close as possible, intend on never letting her go.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Such a sweet chapter, I'm over whelmed myself. It would be so nice if all of this were really happening in the RWBY show, or at least something akin to this, but unfortunately, it is not.**

 **Hope the speech wasn't too much or anything, but I gave my best. Anyway, Adam is still my fave male character and nothing has changed that so far. Hope it will remain that way**


	54. Chapter 54: Comfort

**Chapter 54: Comfort**

"Okay, then how about Violet?" Serena asked Adam, glancing at him. The male seemed to ponder the name before giving her a shrug. "Is that a yes or a no?" she asked sarcastically, grinning slightly at him.

"Neither of the two. What about Ozea?"

Serena thought. It was a nice name and she was sure that it would suit at least one of the two babies.

"Sounds nice," she responded, leaning her head against his shoulder. The two were currently nestled up on the couch, Adam sitting on it while Serena sat on his lap with her legs dangling off to the side. One arm held her waist to keep her from falling while the other was resting on the bulge that was her stomach. She was already in the fifth month and she could feel the twins kicking more often now.

"It's the name of my sister."

Her head shot up and she looked at the melancholic look in his eyes. They were full of sadness and regret, but also love and tenderness. She reached her hand up and rested it on his cheek. The male glanced down at her at the contact and gave her a small smile in return. He appreciated the comfort she granted.

"I think it's perfect," Serena said.

A deep grumble and 'hmm' were her response and they both retired to their room soon. It was already dark outside, the clock reading 10:30 PM and both had to be up early tomorrow, though Ozpin had told them that it would be okay for Serena to take things slow. But the woman was not one to dally and had told the man that she would continue on working as long as possible.

Settling down next to her fiancé, Serena pulled the covers over herself and turned to the side. She was looking directly into Adam's face and couldn't help but try to memorize every line of it. Unconsciously, she reached out her hand and started to softly trace the lines of his nose, forefinger sweeping over his brows and down onto his eyelids.

"What are you doing?" came the quiet question, though his eyes remained closed.

"Memorizing."

He let her continue her ministrations, finger running along his strong jaw and over his soft lips that had kissed her so often. Her finger stilled when he gave it a gentle kiss, one eye opening to look at her. She could have sworn that they were glowing in the dark.

Traveling upwards, she ran her hand through his hair that, despite how spiky it looked, was soft to the touch and gently caressed one horn, then the other. From the first moment she had known him, she had loved him and the horns only made her love him more. They represented his personality so well, she thought: hard and cold, yet warm and soft if one looked closely enough.

She ran her hand through his hair a few times more and could see how relaxed he was. A thin line on his neck caught her attention and she let her hand wander to it to inspect more closely. It was a scar she realized, a thin line that was almost invisible on his light skin. She traced over it once, feeling him shudder at the cool feel of her finger, before she spotted another just above his left eye, running from the lid into his hairline.

"You have scars," she said, smacking herself afterwards. _He knows he has them, no point in pointing them out, dumbass._

"I know."

"Where did you get them?" she asked curiously, eyes still fixed on the one that ran above his eye. Said eye opened and regarded her for a few seconds before he responded.

"Missions."

"I thought you were unbeatable," she lightly teased. The male grinned before scooting closer to her and laying his head atop her chest. "Adam?"

"Shh. Just let me stay like this for a while," he mumbled, his right hand settling atop her stomach. He did that a lot, she noticed. Probably without even noticing it himself. She found it sweet. She caught the glimpse of two bullet holes in his back, since he was wearing no shirt (it was awfully warm), and lightly traced her fingers around the edges of them. One was located n his left shoulder blade while the other was on his lower back. She wondered how many times he had almost been killed, but said nothing. It was in the past.

Silence reigned from then on and Serena enjoyed the weight of his head atop her chest, his hand gently rubbing her stomach and she could feel one of the babies kick in response. "Did you feel that?" he asked almost childishly, eyes looking at her with joy. She gave a soft laugh and told him that the baby said he liked it, prompting to continue his actions. Adam rolled his eyes once, knowing that she was joking about the last part, but complied nonetheless.

Soon, they were both off to sleep, Serena having grabbed hold of his hand and him still lying on her chest. It was a picture that would even make the Devil cry.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **I know that it's not long, but this is kind of a filler chapter and I wanted to get some more fluffy romance into this, before we move on to the big things. So I hope that you nevertheless enjoyed it.**


	55. Chapter 55: United

**Chapter 55: United**

"How about this one?" Ruby asked, holding up a white dress with an awful lot of glitter and the likes. Serena made a face at the dress, shaking her head while Ruby hung it back in place with a sigh. "Okay, how about this?" she tried again, holding up another one.

Serena eyed the garment carefully. It was a beautiful white gown, the sleeves made out of lace and the top nicely carved to fit her figure while the bottom fanned out. The matching veil was also made out of lace and would reach to just above her behind, a good length for the girl.

"It looks nice," she said, contemplating it. "Let me try it on," she finally said, holding out her hand. Ruby handed her the dress and off she was into the cabin. It was surprisingly easy to put on and the only help Serena needed was with the zipper at the back. After Ruby had helped her, she put on some simple white shoes with heels and stepped outside. "What do you think?" she asked, turning in front of the mirror.

"It's perfect!" Ruby exclaimed with joy, her eyes sparkling like never before. "You _have_ to take this. Adam will love it!"

"You think?"

"Of course!"

Looking herself over once again in the mirror, Serena thought that, yes, this dress was definitely beautiful. So, without wasting any more time, she went back into the cabin, put on her red hoodie, black top and jeans with ankle boots again, and went to the cashier to pay for it. She bought the same white heels that she'd worn when she was trying on the dress and off the two girls were.

"I can't believe that the two of you will really be getting married," Ruby said, eyes sparkling and having a happy smile on her face. It felt like it was only yesterday that she'd met the girl beside her.

"Neither can I," Serena replied, pushing back her hair. It had grown longer again and she was mentally searching her mind which coiffure she could wear for the big day. "How are the others coming along with the preparations?" she asked.

"I think that they're almost done. Weiss wanted to have some more tables put into the school hall, but other than that, I think she's satisfied."

"And the church?"

"All done. You'll see, you'll just love it. Blake and Yang were so excited to decorate it and I think that they know what you'll like," Ruby said with a grin. "So, are you already nervous?" The young girl glanced over at the woman walking beside her.

"I'm dying of nervousness. I can't believe that the wedding is already in two weeks. I still don't know if this is really happening." Then, in a more uncertain voice, "Are you sure that this is alright?"

Ruby stopped and turned, looking the girl in the eyes. "What do you mean? You're not getting cold feet, now are you?" she lightly teased.

"Of course not! But, it's all happening so quick. I mean, he only proposed to me a month ago and the wedding is already in two weeks. And Adam and I are both still so young. What if we're moving on too fast, or if it's just a thing of the moment and it'll be over soon after?"

Ruby grabbed the girl's hands and gave them a gentle squeeze before calmly saying, "It's all going to work out alright. The others and me can see how much the two of you love each other and I can tell you that, whatever you might think now, it's all going to be alright. You'll see."

"Thanks Ruby," Serena said, hugging the girl, thankful for her encouraging words.

"Now, about the baby…"

* * *

"Are you ready Serena?" The head of Ruby popped into the small room in which Serena was sitting, her hands wringing nervously on the fabric of her dress. Ruby could see the tension and walked up to her friend, settling a hand on her shoulder. "Ready?" she asked again, silver eyes calm and settling.

Serena gulped once before giving her a nod. Standing up, she accompanied Ruby out of the room and just to in front of the double doors that led to the principal room of the church.

"Miss Caldron," Ozpin greeted her, offering his arm. Serena shakily placed her hand on his and gave him a nervous smile. Since she had no family, she had no father to walk her to the altar. So Ozpin had volunteered to take over that part and was now leading the nervous bride down the aisle.

Serena looked everywhere but in front of her. She could feel the multiple eyes of people on her and decided to stare at the floor as long as possible. If she didn't, she feared she would trip over her own two feet in her frenzy. She had invited a lot of people, and she guessed that most of them had come, which would make about fifty guests.

After being halfway down the aisle, she felt the nervousness become over-powered by curiosity. What did Adam look like? Was he smiling? Was he even looking at her? She hadn't seen him once in his suit, neither had he seen her in her dress. And it was because of her natural curiosity that she found her eyes traveling upwards, along the floor and the benches that lined the aisle, until they landed on her soon-to-be husband.

Adam was standing there, tall and handsome as ever. He was wearing a black suit, with a red tie, arms crossed behind his back and head held high. She'd never seen him look more proud yet also nervous than in this very moment. And the look he was giving her… It made her heart melt and she forced herself to keep her tears at bay, lest she want to destroy the makeup job that Yang and Weiss did on her for at least an hour.

His eyes were bright, the brightest red possible, and they were laughing at her with such tremendous joy that she felt a smile garce her lips. He returned the smile and suddenly, she was standing in front of him and he was taking her hand in his and leading her up the few steps to stand beside him. She was sure that her hand was shaking and squeezed his hand, which he returned.

"You look beautiful," he lowly whispered, half-listening to the preacher who was reading the usual wedding reciting.

"You do too," she returned, her eyes briefly glancing at him. He gave her that small grin that most wouldn't even notice, so subtle was it. But she saw it nonetheless.

"Do you, Adam Taurus, take Serena Caldron to be your wife." The voice of the preacher suddenly became more clear and Serena, with a shock, realized that this was the big moment. "Do you promise to love her and hold her dear in sickness as well as in health until death shall make you part?"

"I do," Adam replied, his eyes gleaming down softly on the petite female in front of him.

"And do you, Serena Caldron, take Adam Taurus to be your husband-"

"I do," Serena immediately said, interrupting the preacher and earning herself a few laughs from the assembled guests. The old man only smiled good-naturedly before blessing the both of them and officially making them husband and wife. Serena immediately got up on her toes and kissed Adam, surprising the male with her sudden boldness, but she could feel the smile that formed under her lips. Parting, she turned to the cheering crowd of people. The members of Team RWBY all had tears in their eyes and even Ozpin looked like he was about to shed a few tears.

The party was being held in the school hall, where the student ball had been held for the graduates only last month. Balloons were floating around and beautiful white flowers were decorating the grand hall, white banners hanging from some balconies.

The happy couple was currently receiving congratulations from Raven and Oobleck, who'd come together, and even some former White Fang members (a man named Perry to whom Serena took an instant liking) and other students congratulated them. Ozpin and Glynda did as well, and the students cheered when the two danced their wedding dance, clearing the dance floor so that they would have enough room.

Now, Serena was standing by the bar, which was manned by Junior, and sipping on some orange juice for she was still pregnant and knew that drinning alcohol right now would be bad. The man had opened his own restaurant next to his club and turned out to be a formidable chef. He had volunteered to cater for their wedding and even given them a reduction on the prize (it wasn't every day that an old friend of him got married, he'd said).

Ruby had, against all odds, danced with Torchwick not long ago and was now animatedly talking with him. Serena couldn't help the smile that crossed her face when she saw how well the two of them seemed to get along now.

A tap on the shoulder made her look to her left to see Blake standing there. For once, she wasn't wearing her bow, her cat ears now open for everyone to see. She'd come with a boy named Sun, a student from Vacuo and she could see that the two had a thing for each other.

"Blake," she greeted the girl, setting down her drink. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to thank you. About Adam."

"What do you mean?" the raven head questioned, not getting the young female's point.

"I wanted to thank you for saving him from himself. You know what he was like, how ruthless he was. I just wanted to thank you for changing him. It's thanks to you that he didn't become a monster," the girl said.

"Oh Blake, you don't need to thank me for something like that. I didn't do anything to him."

"But you did. You should've seen him back when he was still one hundred percent behind the White Fang. He was about to become a monster. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't so I ran away. Like always." The girl bowed her head in shame.

"You didn't run away. You did all you could and when it didn't help, you tried to change him by leaving. He told me a lot about you, and believe me when I tell you that you are one of the main reasons why he didn't turn out how you feared him to. Trust me. You did all you could and I'm thankful for that. If you hadn't done what you did, I'm sure that not even I would have been able to get him back. So, I'm really the one who should be thanking you," Serena said with a gentle smile. The girl gave her a nod of the head and hugged her briefly, an uncharacteristic gesture for someone who was normaly quite distant towards people, before heading back to her own date.

"You really did save me," the calm drawl of Adam came from behind and Serena slightly jumped at his sudden appearance. Turing around, she saw the male staring off at his former partner before his eyes lowered to look at her. "Thank you."

"You saved me as well." Serena smiled and kissed him once, no words needing to be said. It was the two of them who saved each other. He had saved her from her grief and sorrow. She had saved him from his anger and pain.

And now, they had enough time to keep it that way.

"Uh, Serena, we have a little surprise," Ruby's voice jerked the young female out of her reverie. Looking over at the girl, she saw Ruby and the others grinning at her while Roman, Junior and some other guests looked quite uneasy.

"What is it?" Serena asked as both she and her husband walked up to the girl.

"Just look out there," the girl replied, pointing at the double doors that led outside. Serena gave a confused look before grabbing the fabric of her dress and hurrying outside, anxious that something bad was going on.

She didn't have to worry for long though.

"Guys!" she exclaimed, running to Napoleon, Ajax and Loki. She almost fell against the oldest Ursa as she threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in the part of his body that wasn't covered by spikes and bone. The Grimm gave a content purr, nuzzling her head before letting go of her. Stepping back, Serena saw that the entire pack was there, plus some other Grimm. Even Aeolus was there!

"What are you doing here?" she asked breathless, amazed by the sheer number of them.

 _We came to congratulate you, little one. I wasn't there last time to do so, but I will now,_ Napoleon answered.

"You didn't have to!" she said. All the Grimm snorted once, showing their disapproval.

 _Of course we do. It is not every day that a human who has done so much for us gets united with his mate. It is an honor to be here._

"What the hell?!"

Serena whirled around to see Torchwick staggering backwards. He'd probably just gotten out of the building and was shocked by the presence of the creatures. Ruby gave a snort and caught his arm when he was about to land flat on his butt. Other guests were coming out as well, some more cautious, while others were already used to the animals and only greeted them with a wink or said 'hi'.

Ruby went over to Ajax and patted him on the head while being slobbered on by Loki who was hyper at the prospect of seeing this bubbly girl again. The young female grinned at the orange-haired man when he looked at her with his jaw practically touching the floor.

"Don't be such a baby and come say hi. They don't like it when you stare at them like that," the youth teased the man. Torchwick shut his mouth and hesitantly took a step towards the beasts, before being close enough and giving a hesitant wink.

Ruby simply laughed at seeing her ex-arch nemesis be so flabbergasted and gave him a push and, after a short yelp, the man had his face full of slobber. He blinked a few times before wiping the saliva off him and lightly punched the girl in the arm, his form of revenge for pushing him.

"Remind me not to cross your way again, Red," he mumbled to the girl, still in awe.

"This is great!" Yang suddenly exclaimed, gaining all the attention. "Now we can party together!"

Some people sweat dropped while others gave a nervous laugh. But, after some time and because it was a warm July evening, they eventually decided to follow her idea. Now, both humans and Grimm were dancing to the music that was blaring loudly from the inside of the hall. They laughed and talked and some even started to play with the Grimm.

"This is the weirdest wedding I have ever seen," Serena said to Adam, staring at her friends that all enjoyed themselves.

"Tell me about it," the male replied, before grabbing her hand. "How about joining?"

"You're on," she replied with a smirk and off the two were, dancing with Napoleon, Loki, Ajax, even Deion was there and for once being friendly to humans.

It really was the weirdest wedding, but it would remain in the minds of everyone for a long time.

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Only one more chapter guys and then it will be the end. So look forward to the last and final chapter!**


	56. Chapter 56: Epilogue - Future

**Chapter 56: Epilogue – Future**

"Very good Azuna. Always keep in contact with him and you'll have it in no time," a dark haired woman told her young pupil. The blonde gave her a confident grin and with another motion, the giant Ursa finally succumbed to her command. "Good, I see that you managed to do it."

" 'Course I did. Anyone could with your advice, Serena," the girl replied confidently, scratching the Grimm's ears. The woman nodded her head and told the girl that she could leave now if she wanted to. "Okay. Have a good day then," Azuna replied, packing her bag before leaving the classroom.

Serena sighed and went over to her desk to gather her own belongings. While she did, she couldn't help but indulge in past memories.

It had been six years since she'd come to this world. Six years since she'd met Ruby, Azuna and the Grimm. But, most important, it had been exactly six years since she'd met Adam in the forest that day. The memory was still vivid and she still smiled at how he had been so cold towards her when now, he was the sweetest husband a woman could hope for.

But other than that, things in Remnant had also changed. The most prominent change was the fact that Faunus were now officially a part of the government and had their own party to represent them. People listened to them as well, and coexistence had never been as peaceful as now. Same with the Grimm. Huntsmen and Huntresses still existed, but instead of slaying the creatures, they now turned them into harmless animals.

After the other kingdoms had gotten wind of Ozpin employing a teacher that could control and tame Grimm, they had sent some of their own teachers over to Beacon. They had the mission to learn all they could from the young woman, then return to their kingdom and teach what they learned at their own Academies. People had been somewhat skeptical at first, and the older teachers were annoyed by the fact that someone much younger was to teach them.

But the initial difficulties had been overcome and training had been absolved. Now, every school and academy taught Huntsmen and Huntresses in training on how to interact with Grimm. They had the mission to go out into the world and soothe the creatures, which they had achieved quite well. There was never more balance and harmony in the entire world than now.

"You ready to go?"

A voice tore Serena out of her thoughts and she looked over to the door to see her husband lean against the doorframe, as he did so often. In all this time, he hadn't changed a bit. He was still handsome, still somewhat cocky and even more adorable than before. And even though he was already 29 years old, he still had a somewhat playful side to him. This was shown especially when dealing with the kids.

"Coming," the raven head replied, closing her bag and strapping it over her shoulder. Walking up to the Faunus, she gave him a peck on the cheek and off the two were. They took the usual route: across campus, down the many stairs and into the city of Vale. Turning another corner, they walked up until they were in front of a yellow painted house. A small yard lined the forefront and extended to the back of the building and the laughter and cries of children were heard.

Pushing open the little gate that kept the kids from going outside, the pair walked up the few steps until they were standing on the little front porch, ringing the doorbell. A few seconds later, a young woman with brown hair pulled up into a messy bun and warm chocolate eyes opened the door and greeted them.

"Ah, mister and misses Taurus, good to see you again. I'll call the kids right away," she said, one boy looking shyly past her leg and up at the two. Serena gave the child a gentle smile and a small wink, while Adam just stared at him. The boy shrunk under the red-eyed gaze and, noticing what her husband was doing, she gave him a shove of the arm. Getting the hint, the man smiled at the boy and squatted down to ruffled his hair. The kid gave a happy laugh before running back into the house.

"You really need to learn how to act around children. You're scaring someone every time we come here," Serena whispered to him when he stood tall again. It was true; even the woman that had opened the door, Mary, had been quite intimidated the first few times the two parents came to pick up their children. It was because of his natural aura of power and command that most people were a little more than tense around Adam.

"What? It's not my fault that I have the kind of aura I do. Plus, I can't do anything against my height or looks," Adam tried to defend himself, though he knew that he would not win this battle. When it came to children, his wife was absolutely protective of them and wouldn't let him off easily.

"Just try to give them at least a smile."

"Yeah, I know," Adam said, already knowing how this was working and just playing along.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

A pair of feet swiftly made their way towards the two adults and their legs were soon hugged by two small girls. Both smiled at the kids before squatting down and returning the hug, Adam ruffling his girls' hair even though he knew that they didn't like it.

"Daddy! You're ruining my hair!" the oldest by three minutes, Malina, complained. The girl was a sweetheart, but sometimes surprisingly focused on her appearance. She tried getting back some shape into her dark brown-reddish hair while Adam gave a low chuckle, always amused by his daughter's obsession with her hair.

He figured that she had copied that from her aunt Yang.

"Hey sweetie, how was it? Did you have fun?" Serena asked her younger daughter, Ozea.

The girl was the quiet of the two and liked to be close to her mother, while Malina was more like her father: wild and uncontrollable. Ozea preferred to watch her mother in the kitchen when she cooked, sometimes helping if she could, or asked the woman to read to her. She loved stories, but her favorite ones were still the ones in which Serena told her how her and Adam met. She was a little romantic, just like Blake.

"We read the story of the four maidens," the child replied with a content smile.

"Oh really? You have to tell it to me at home," Serena said, caressing her child's cheek while smiling.

"Well then, should we go?" Adam asked, uprighting himself and taking Malina's little hand into his big one. Serena nodded, getting up and calling to Mary that they were leaving now. The woman bid them farewell and the family was off to their home.

With the twins arriving, they needed more space. So, the two had bought a house after three years of working at Beacon. They now lived more on the edge of the city, away from all the bustle, in a small but nice house. It had a front yard as well as a generous back yard. Each girl had their own bedroom (though they preferred to sleep together in one room) at the right side of the house while Adam and Serena had their bedroom at the other end of the hallway, adorned with a king-sized bed, walk-in closet and bathroom that held two basins, a shower as well as a bathtub and a separate toilet.

Down the stairs were the living room and dining room, both partially divided into two by a chimney that covered half the room. The kitchen was separate and they also had a guest toilet, as well as a garage in which a nice black car stood. Neither of the two used it to get to work since it was only five minutes to the next bus stop and they always brought their children to Kindergarten first before taking the bus to Beacon.

Kicking off their shoes, the girls made their way into the kitchen, where they waited for their mother and father. Every day, when they got home, they would sit at the kitchen table and eat a snack together, talking about the day and what they had experienced. Serena took out four bowls of fruit salad that she had prepared that morning, setting it down in front of each family member before she herself sat down and dug in.

"Mommy, aren't auntie Ruby and Yang coming tonight?" Malina asked, shoveling down her fruits and tilting her head slightly.

"That's right sweetie. And aunty Blake and Weiss will come as well, and some more people."

"And uncle Junior?" Ozea asked excitedly.

"Mhm," Serena hummed as means of reply to which the children cried out in joy. Both had a strong connection to Serena and Adam's friends and they were almost like second family to them. "Speaking of which, I have to start preparing dinner or I won't be finished for tonight. Would you like to help me Ozea?" she asked, looking at her youngest. The girl nodded her head and the two were soon bustling around in the kitchen while Adam was playing with Malina outside.

* * *

It was seven o'clock and Serena was just helping Malina put on her navy black dress when the doorbell rang.

"I got it!" Adam called, opening the door and letting in their guests.

Malina was the first of the twins to rush forward and crash into Yang's legs, almost knocking the young woman off balance. "Whoa there, little whirlwind. Not so fast," she laughed, bending down and ruffling the kid's hair like she always did.

Malina giggled and said, "Hey auntie Yang! Where's uncle Jasper?"

"Right here!" the male in question said, scooping the girl up in his arms from behind and tickling her. Malina squirmed in the brown-haired man's arms, playfully swatting at his hands. When he put her back down, she stuck out her tongue at him and ran off. "What a greeting," Jasper commented.

"You'll get used to it," his girlfriend replied, going over and hugging Serena who had just finished brushing Ozea's hair. The girl returned the gesture and went over to shake hands with Yang's company. The busty blonde had met the young Huntsman about two years ago and they had started dating one year ago and were now an official couple. Serena liked him; he was nice, fun to talk to and the kids loved him.

"Jasper, it's good to see you again. How have you been doing?" she asked, stepping a few steps back to stand beside her husband.

"Good so far, I guess," the man replied. Even though they had known each other for about a year now, Serena could still see that the man held a lot of respect for her. At first, he was even a bit scared of her, with her being the Grimm Tamer and all, but over time, he'd learned that she was just a normal girl.

"Come on in you two, have a seat," she said, leading them through the house and onto the decent terrasse that they had. The both sat down at the head of the table and the doorbell rang again, announcing the arrival of their other guests. Serena heard the greetings and laughter from the kitchen and walked back out to see all of them seated now.

There were all in all ten people now, plus the kids, Adam and her. Serena was glad that she'd made enough lasagne that it would hopefully satisfy all of them.

"Serena!" Ruby jumped up from her seat and used her semblance to rush over and crush the woman in a hug. She'd grown over time and was now the same height as Serena, but stronger than her due to her still wielding that over-sized scythe.

"Hey Ruby," she wheezed out, patting the girl on the back.

"Oops, sorry. Don't know my own strength yet," the speedster said, giving her a slight smirk. A habit she had picked up from her boyfriend she assumed. Said boyfriend walked over, as jovial as always, and shook hands with her, smirking all the while.

"Monster tamer," Roman said.

"Carrot head," Serena replied, her own smirk forming on her lips. They would always use those nicknames to greet each other. It was a playful banter that had gone on for quite some time between them. "I see you're still free and running."

"What can I say… I just can't get away from the little pest here," Torchwick replied, glancing at Ruby who smacked his arm playfully, sticking out her tongue. "And where's the little tornado?"

"Here uncle Roman!" Malina cried, jumping up into his arm and giving him a hug. Just like Ozea liked Junior for his calm and friendly demeanor, Malina liked the ex-criminal for his jokes and carefree attitude.

Serena went on to greet the other guests. Blake had come together with Sun (the two had started dating after the final big battle) and Weiss had come together with Neptune. Serena had laughed when she'd been told that, although his name was that of the greek god of water, he was afraid of water. But the young man was quite funny and, just like the others, he loved the kids.

Junior had come together with Neo and although nothing was official yet, Serena could feel that the bartender had a thing for the mute woman. Neo had brought the kids ice cream as a present and they had been a bit disappointed when their mother had told them that they could only eat it after dinner.

"Who wants something to drink?" Adam asked, uncorking the bottle and grabbing the first glass. Everyone had one, though Roman still teased Ruby about her being too young for alcohol to which she replied that she was already twenty-two and could very well drink, thank you.

Serena had a feeling that those two would never change.

Appetizer was filled with laughter, wild conversation and the occasional banter between Roman and Malina or Ruby, whichever was quicker to object. Dinner was the same, though quieter since they were all buys eating their food.

"So Ruby, I've been meaning to ask you… Is that an engagement ring on your finger?" Serena said, leaning over to the girl that sat opposite from her. Ruby blushed and nodded and Serena cried out in joy. "I can't believe you're going to marry!" she exclaimed.

"Who's going to marry?" Yang asked, oblivious to her sister's plans. When Serena pointed at the girl that was now as red as a tomato, Yang's eyes literally bulged out of her skull and her jaw dropped to the ground. "What?!"

"Um… Surprise," the silver-eyed girl said meekly, giving her sister a nervous grin. Yang only shook her head at her sister's air-headedness and looked over to glare at Roman who was snickering behind his hand.

"You better be good to her Torchwick. Or I swear I'll hunt you down," Yang threatened the orange head, pointing her fork at him to emphasize her statement. Adam smirked beside Serena, as did the girl herself and practically everyone else around the table.

"Yes, ma'am," Roman answered with a mock salute.

"Anyone else have a surprise in store?" Yang asked, looking around. Blake tentatively lifted her hand and told them that she and Sun were actually also planning on marrying, but only next year. Once again, the whole table went slack-jawed and some people even fell off their chairs when Weiss suddenly announced that she was pregnant! The evening became full of talking, planning weddings and talking about baby names.

But even with all that had happened, the future seemed to be bright for them all.

Serena wished that her family could be with her, but she had found people that were like family to her now, especially her husband, and she was sure that, if they were here with her right now, they would be happy for them. So she embraced every new day and enjoyed the time she spent with all her friends, husband and daughters.

And silently, she thanked God for giving her the chance to live in another world. She had never been happier before, and her life had only just begun. 

**THE END**

* * *

 **A/N: I do not own RWBY or its characters. I do, however, own my OC Serena and any other OCs that appear in this story.**

 **Yes, people this is it. The end. Finale. Finite.**

 **I can't tell you how much I enjoyed writing this story and receiving your thoughts, ideas, and personal opinions. We've come a long way and I think that this is a decent end for the first story which has given me so much joy.**

 **And even with all that is actually going on in RWBY, I still hope that this story here was a relief to all of you from the tragedies and deaths we have witnessed so far in the show.**

 **Once again, thank you all for sticking with me and I hope we will perhaps see us again in one of my future stories.**


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